Fateful Lives
by Ice Garden
Summary: AU fic. Finnick lives a privileged life with his parents and sister by the sea, he has no cares or worries, until his life is changed forever. Annie has a good life with her family, she isn't rich but she's happy and loved. They will be brought together by fate and will discover what they mean to each other. Caution! Themes of child abuse and self- harm.
1. Repo Men

Disclaimer I don't own the Hunger Games

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**Please Note: Finnick's last name will change to Odair in a later chapter.**

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**Repo Men**

Finnick lives a good life, but he has no idea just how good. It's not his fault, being so young and carefree, mean he gives little thought to just how good his life is and goes with it. He lives in a large mansion on a hill He can see the ocean form the house at the back, the front looks onto a large paved driveway and manicured lawn.

At five he's tall for his age, with golden skin, dark bronze hair with natural sun bleached highlights running through it. His eyes are the color of his favorite apple soda pop. The kind his mother won't buy because it's full of e numbers and colorings. Once an older boy, threatened to gauge out his unnatural eyes with a spoon. Finnick hates the color they make him stand out, he's too young to realize that being different isn't a bad thing.

When he gets home from, summer Sea Scouts activities. He drops his bag and goes off to find his two dogs, Rusty and Sail, He named them both himself. Rusty is a Norwegian Lundehud she's reddish brown in color and Finnick favorite. Sail is a male Istrian Shorthaired Hound. Both dogs are family pets and scent hounds to play with and for when his father goes hunting.

He takes them out on the front lawn to play, chase and the fetch ball. The strong sea breeze flaps the material of his clothing and sweat glistens on his forehead from the high humidity. He runs crazily round and plays until he's tired and his arm hurts, from throwing a tennis ball for them as hard as he can. His chest wheezes a little, he thought about mentioning it to his parents, but it quickly eases and he forgets and ends up doing something else. His nanny Lola calls him in. "Finnick Richardson just look at you, all dirty I have to get you cleaned up before you're parents get back," She said, exasperated but not surprised.

Finnick has his own private en-suite bedroom with a view out to the sea. His bedroom is filled with every toy a child his age could ever want and many more, on his bedroom walls an under-sea mural has been painted, with mermaids, a sunken ship wreck and even a shark that was recently added at his request.

His bed has been specially designed in the shape of a boat, the toy chest at the end of it, has been made to look like a treasure chest that opens to reveal his favorite toys. He runs straight too it to play. "Finnick it's Bath time, not play with your toys time. He sulks and pouts at Lola. "None of that come now."

He slowly follows Lola and sits on one of the chairs whilst watching her run his bath. She pours in lots of bubbles that come almost to the rim and smell of cinnamon and other spices. Finnick undress all by himself, without help and drops his sea scouts uniform to the floor, before being helped into the bath that's too big for him to climb into safely alone.

Lola keeps a close eye on him, he loves to make bath water stormy, and most baths result in more water ending up on the floor, than in the bath and she has to spend ages cleaning it up. Even when he behaves himself he still ends up sloshing large amounts of bubbles and water onto the floor.

Friday night his family has a roast dinner as well as Sunday. Sometimes guests are invited to the Friday dinner. "Are there any guests for tonight's dinner?" Finnick hates having to be extra good for guests; it's hard enough for him to behave in front of his own parents. "No dear, just your mom and dad tonight," Finnick smiles brightly with relief. "Good."

When she finally, convinces Finnick to stop wriggling, so she can dry him properly, he's very ticklish so it takes longer than Lola would like. Eventually she gets him dry enough to dress and makes him wear a white button down shirt, black shorts, his white socks and patent leather shoes, to finish his outfit she gets out one of the bowties his mother insists on buying him.

"No!" Finnick screams in protest "Not that!" Finnick considers them a real issue, but his mom thinks they make him look cute. "Finnick, I have to put this on you, your mom insisted on it," Originally his mom bought him Velcro ties but he'd 'loose' them, so she had them custom made with buttons he can't quite reach, so he can't remove the bow tie until someone else does it for him. The one Lola picks in light blue with a sail boat design.

Once she's finished, she takes him down for his Lunch. The large mansion has two dining rooms one for formal meals and one that's less formal. Lola walks Finnick to his seat before his parents arrive. "OK now, sit still and don't play with the knives and forks or the table decoration. And please don't smash any of the plates or glasses" he doesn't purposeful break things, but sometimes when he's playing accidents happen.

Finnick's parents don't like her to stay in the dining room while their there. They like meal times to be 'family times'. She hurries out before either appears. He hears his dad's voice as he enters. "Finnick little man," His dad said, dressed in his posh work suit he bends down and opens his arms. The signal, that Finnick can leave his seat and run over to his dad.

"Daddy you're home," He said excitedly jumping down from his seat and running to crash into his dads open arms. They hug until his mom appears. "Just what do you think the two of you are doing, get up off the floor, you'll get filthy," She said, as though the floor was dusty and had never been cleaned. The floor is highly polished marble tile. Sometimes Finnick likes to tap-dance on it, when his mom isn't around.

He's always had a better relationship, with his father than his mother. With his dad he can get away with doing things him mother would never allow, like playing with toys in rooms where toys are not allowed, staying up late and playing the grand piano.

The one thing Finnick would have said was the worst thing about his life is that, he doesn't see half as much of his parents as he'd like too. His dad works long hours at 'the company' and his mother spends hours at the Country Club that doesn't allow children. In the end he ends up seeing more of Lola than his own parents.

Finnick's parents both take seats at either end of the table, he sits closest too his dad. The dinner is fetched in the silver serving dishes. He sits quietly while his dad cut into the nights roast lamb. He folds his hands neatly on his lap after placing an unfolded napkin on it.

Dinner is a long and boring process for him, his parents discuss, what his dad did at work, what his mom got up to at the Country Club and what Finnick did with the Sea Scouts. He can't wait until his sister is old enough to sit at the table and eat with them, because it'd make things less boring for him.

His sister Breeze is only two; she'll be three just after summer then she can start learning her advanced table manners. For now though she eats with her nanny in the informal dining room, in case she makes a mess. He gave her the nick name Bo, he thought of it all by himself at first he called her Br but it didn't fit so he changed it to Bs. Which made his mom ground him and he couldn't work out why. Finally he settled on Bo.

"How about me and you get in a couple of hours fishing, before the sun goes down?" Finnick's smile cracks his face "Yes, I love fishing I'll get changed," he just remembers to excuses himself, before getting down to and running to his room.

He puts on his vest top shorts and sandals, finishing with his hat and sunglasses. He waits in his dad's convertible that's still parked on the drive, he leaves it unlocked, the house has a fence gate and security system installed, so his dad never locks the car when he's home.

Finnick watches for his dad coming out of the house and smiles broadly at him. He gets into the driver's seat; he eagerly puts his seat belt on as his dad gets in puts his own on and starts the car. "Off we go Finnick," He puts on the radio and turns it on. Finnick loves to sing to whatever is on the radio, or to hum along with the tunes if he doesn't know the words.

His dad drives out of the drive way and the private access road to the house. Then down the long winding palm tree lined road to the docks for permit holders only parking, he displays the permit. They get out and head to the boat Blue Dancer.

Once they're both on the boat, his dad fastens Finnick life jacket and his own on. He allows Finnick to get the box and fishing rod form inside the hold, he sits on the seating near where his dad stands to drive the boat, he doesn't like to drive with Finnick standing.

At the fishing spot they favor, not too far out to sea his dad cuts the engine and he drops the anchor. Finnick helps his dad prepare the fish hooks and bait, to the ends of the two fishing lines. They play the see who gets a bite first game. Finnick watches the water intently for any sign that the fish has taken the bait.

Today isn't His day. "I got one," his dad He calls half an hour in. "I'm goanna get a bigger fish."Finnick answered, trying not to lose face. Not long later he gets a bite too and reels in his fish with help from his dad. "I got one too. It's bigger, it's bigger." Finnick yelled, more hopeful than sure. "I think you're right," his dad said hold them both next to each other. Finnick still can't for sure decide if his really is the bigger fish but he goes with it anyway. "See I told you I could get a bigger one."

They stay out and fish, until the sun starts to fade in the sky. Finnick looks out at the setting sun as his dad drives them back home for the night. "Can I swim in the pool?" Finnick asked. "Only if Lola will sit out with you and you have to be in by bed time." Finnick knows Lola will agree, she loves any chance to lie on the loungers, whether the sun's out or not.

"Lola, Lola, swim with me please?" He asked giving her his best puppy dog eyes. "Oh, I don't know Finnick-""Please!" Finnick begged she's only joking, when she said she doesn't know, but he's not old enough to spot the sarcasm in her voice, although he sometimes uses it himself.

Finnick dresses in his swim shorts and grabs his under arm float boards, he uses to practice. Lola has a room next door to Finnicks that she shares with Breezes nanny, when they are required to sleep over. She has her own wardrobes with clothes for all occasions, so she's able to dress for whatever the family need her to help at, whether it's an informal barbecue or a lavish party, she's given extra money to by designer clothes for any parties that require her to dress up.

Lola wears a swimming costume, out at the poolside, his mother doesn't like her wearing a bikini around Finnick, but his own mother wears a bikini whenever she likes. She has a habit of making one rule for herself and another for the nanny's.

He's brave around water; Finnick puts his float boards on the edge at the deep end and stands ready to jump in. His mum hates it when he jumps in, but his dad always laughs and claps, cheering his son on. Finnick's dad surprises him by coming outside to the pool, he normally spends his evenings in his office.

Finnick waits until his dad is by the pool, gathers his confidence and jumps in feet first. His dive produces a large splash, soaking the stone. As Finnick had wanted he gets his father's attention. He picks up his float boards, to practice his swimming technique. His father stands at the pool edge in almost the same place where Finnick jumped in. "Mind back a bit, I'm coming in," he said before diving in and causing a splash large enough to wet Finnick.

Some of the other children in his swim class, don't like putting their faces in the water, but he's not one them. He shows off his bravery by getting his face wet, and practicing his breathing, whilst keeping his floats in his hands, with his arms outstretched in front of him and using his feet to propel him through the water, Lola looks on fondly.

For a while his dad gives advice and encouragement, but they end up having a splash fight, until Lola calls time on their fun. Finnick's dad hands him to Lola to wrap in a towel. "Ok Finnick, go with Lola, and get ready for bed, I'll come read you a story soon," Finnick reaches back to him and gives him a hug.

He has his bath without complaint or fuss and puts on his pajamas. As he does each night he goes to visit Breeze. He just manages to stop himself bursting through the door and knocks at the last second. "Come in" Jennifer yells in response.

Finnick opens the door. "Have you come too good-night too Bo?" Finnick nods, "Yes I have, " he approaches her bed. "Hey baby sister, its good-night time," he gives her a hug. "Night Finn-Finn," She said. He does what he thinks all big brothers should do, for their little sisters. He kneels on her pink carpet and lifts her hanging duvet. He fills his lungs and gives a mighty "Roarrr, get out from under my sisters bed monsters."

His sister laughs and giggles. "Finn-Finn is funny," he gives her one last kiss and hug, then leaves her too her bedtime story. He goes too his room for his. His dad is sitting on the edge of his bed, when he sees his son he pats the bed by his pillows. "Come on Champ, let's read the end of your story."

There's nothing like a story with his dad, he loves Lola's, but nothing will ever beat his dad's for him. "..The End." His dad said closing the book at last. "Night, Finnick, do you want the night light on?" "Dad don't be silly, I'm big now, nearly as big as you," His dad chuckles gruffly. "OK son, your choice. He closes the door, Finnick quickly gets up and turns on his night light. Some fancy looking modern art thing his mom bought. He scampers back to bed, and will try and it off before Lola gets him up in the morning.

There's a lot of activity in the coming days, the house is prepared for his sixth birthday, balloons are blown up, wrapped gifts arrive and the house decorated. He's always so excited at the prospect of new things, he has far better toys than all his friends. Last year he was then envy of them all, his parents bought him a mini battery operated, convertible he drives outside, an exact copy of his dads and sometimes if he's good, it's loaded onto a tailor and he gets to drive it down the beach, it has a working horn, lights and his name on the number plate but it doesn't go as fast as his dads.

He's having a party prior to his actual birthday, his parents have arranged to do something special on his birthday itself, so his party is happening just over a week before, the date of his actual birthday. "I have an idea Finnick, why don't you go see if your dad is ready yet?" His dad was changing upstairs, whilst Finnick's mother picks up a 'special gift' for him. "OK Lola, I'll get daddy." He runs through the main living room past Breeze and her nanny to the foyer.

He runs up the grand staircase almost falling twice, in his hurry to get up them. Finnick's parents have the room furthest away fromhis own and Breeze's. He gets to the master suit and knocks politely. "Daddy come out and play with me." His dad doesn't respond so he tries the handle.

His parents' bedroom is empty, clean and tidy. Finnick notices the bathroom door open. He goes over and shouts to his dad. "Dad?" He knows something is wrong, a bad smell Finnick can't describe, enters his nose and make him feel physically sick. Finnick hears nothing but the pounding of his heart and the rushing of his blood in his ears. He tries to calm himself, he considers that he dad might have spilled something, but it doesn't smell like any household cleaner he knows of.

The thought crosses his to run downstairs and get Lola, but he's no coward at five he's a big boy, not a softie. He stands straight and tall and lifts his head, in the proud way he's seen his mom do. Mentally he counts, _Three..Two..One..Zero_.

He pushes the door just hard enough to open it wide up. The sight that greets him, confuses him, it's like something from a really bad nightmare. It takes him time to be able to move his feet forwards. When he does so, he moves cautiously.

His parent's bath stands in the middle of the large bathroom, it's like his dad has added something colored to the water, deep red. Finnick's reminded of the time he watched a documentary he found of sharks, as it tore apart it's pray, the beep blue water turned red all around.

"Dad?" Finnick said uncertainty. He's lay face up staring blankly at the roof. On the corner of the bath by his head is a bloodied razor the bloods dripping down the side. He'd forgotten the bad smell, now desperation and it's scent fills him.

Finnick reaches in and tugs hard trying to pull his dad from the tub, some of the water splashes over his legs and feet. "Dad, dad." Finnick screamed now. His dad slips out of his hands back into the red horrid water causing a splash and more water to cover him. His dads face and lips aren't the right color, his lips are blue, his eyes are open but they no longer see, his son stood over him.

Backing away from the tub his feet slip and slide on the tiled floor. He falls to the floor bashing his chin hard. He feels no pain. But spots smoothing he hadn't previously seen, a note written in his father's handwriting, he picks it up and stuffs it in his shorts pocket, before crawling hysterically, out the door.

He runs too Lola screaming for her. "Dad's dead, Dad's dead." He screamed, gagging and retching. She runs past him, back up the stairs seeing his distress. Time passes weirdly, Finnick has a hard time processing, what happens and when in what order. The police and his mom show up, he hears the whispered word suicide it means nothing to him, he doesn't want suicide, he wants his dad, to laugh and play with him and join in his party.

There's no birthday party, he opens no gifts his friends don't come by. At some point Lola takes him for a bath. His hand finds the paper in his pocket; he holds it tight wanting something of his dad back. He takes it out and tries to read the words, but his mid won't work right.

He's only able to read a few words and sentences. _I'm sorry Eliza, Finnick and Breeze, the company, broke, lived beyond means. _There are many more words and sentences, but his confusion and tear blurred eyes refuse to read them. He cries out for deep inside, right from the core of himself, the very depths of his sole.

Lola takes the paper and cuddles him, he cries out until he chokes and his face and eyes turn red. Whatever Lola tries to say to him is lost to him. His ears pick up only the sound of his own despair. She stays with him he's not sure how long for, but she stays whilst his mother remains distant and does whatever she does.

The staff from his house start to disappear, until one day even his Lola is gone, but he has no more tears left to cry for her. He spent them all on his dad. Finnick doesn't care where they went. At some point round the day his birthday should be, he attends a funeral with many people, some familiar others not. His life passes him by strangely. He forgets his dad is gone every now and then, until something reminds him or he looks for him around the house or in the study.

He sees more of his mom, as she tries to looks after Breeze and him. One night after searching for his pets, Rusty and Sail his mom tells him they are gone, just like his dad. "Where are the dogs?" He yelled at his mom, sick of everything he knows disappearing and changing, as he soundly realizes that their possessions are disappearing as well as people. "Finnick Richardson don't yell. They have a new home now; I have too much to do, to look after two dogs, so they've gone." "No! Get them back right now. I look after them."

She gets up and slaps his face so hard it hurts, Finnick's mouth hangs open and he rubs his check. "You'll do as I say. Go look after your sister and don't bother me again tonight, things have to change around here." Finnick's no nanny, but he goes off to take care of Breeze, not wanting to be near his mom any more.

"Finn-Finn, I'm hungry," Breeze said. He goes into the kitchen to ask the cook to get food for them. He wanders in and remembers the staff don't work for them now. He sits down, breaks down and cries. "Everything's gone, daddy where are you? Please come back and fix it." He hugs his knees and cries until he remembers his sister needs food and crying won't help.

He pushes himself upright and wipes away his tears. He goes into the pantry just off from the kitchen and looks around for something, for his sister and himself too eat. He can't find anything that doesn't need cooking. In desperation he goes to the snack cupboard, for one night it should be alright for them to eat treats. He takes a bag of salted popcorn, as their main meal and a couple of candy bars for desert. They need something to drink.

Finnick drags a chair to the fridge, pulls one of the large doors open, then drags the chair the rest of the way in front so he can stand on it to reach the higher shelves of the fridge. He just reaches out two cans of lemonade, he puts the on the marble topped counter by the fridge, gets down, pulls the chair away, he finds a straw for his sisters can.

Breeze smile at him, as he takes the food to her. She makes a grab for it. "Wait a minute, I have to open them," he said annoyed by his sister's impatience, He pops the ring pull on her can and holds it away from him as the soda fizzes up out the top.

All normality and regularity has gone from his day, so he doesn't care about sitting at either dining room table. He just wants to feed himself and his sister. "Come sit by the coffee table." She shuffles to the edge of the sofa and he helps her to the floor, he passes her a cushion to sit on while they eat.

He puts Breeze's straw in her can then let's her hold it, to drink out of. He opens the popcorn first, he doesn't really like the salted variety, but it's better than being hungry. Finnick puts a few handful on the table between them and lies the rest of the packet down trying not to make too much mess.

Breeze pulls a face as she eats some. "It's nice," he said wanting to encourage her. "Yummy," He adds after eating a handful. He can't see his own face but he hopes he does a convincing job. Breeze laughs. His dad likes the salted popcorn for game nights, but now he'll never eat any more.

Finnick swallows hard and tries not to allow memories of his dad, to make him sad. Once they've both eaten as much salted popcorn as they can, he opens the candy bars, he eats half of his own and gives the rest to his sister.

"It's time for bed Bo," he takes her upstairs, as he decides to let his mom help his sister in the shower in the morning, he helps her put on her night dress and clean her teeth. Once she's ready and he's cleaned his own teeth he takes Breeze back to her room.

"You stay there, I'll put my PJ's on and come back, I'll read a story in a minute," he hurries out changes quickly and returns to her. He picks up a book and begins to read, attempting to sound like his dad as he does so. He remembers to make noises and to change his voice a bit for each character. Finnick is tired out by the time he finishes, so he curls up to sleep next to his sister to sleep.

Over the next few days, his mother becomes terrified of the 'repo men' as she calls them. More furniture and other possessions in the house end up being sold to keep them away. Finnick hides a few things. "No Finnick, you can't keep the battery powered convertible car, it all has to go, all of it, if we don't sell it the repo men will take it anyway!" She screamed at him, adding her anger to his distress.

His beloved battery operated car is put in a truck and taken away despite his screams. "It's my birthday gift don't take it, don't." Once it's gone with the people who came to collect it. She slaps him again. "It's your fault; all of _this_ is your fault. If you hadn't wanted all those expensive toys, we wouldn't need to do this." He's shocked not by the slap but his mother's words. "We have to move house_ too_ Finnick."

He doesn't' know what's happening to his life, everything is upside down. "And you'll be going to a new school after summer." He blinks a few times trying to process everything, he comes to what he thinks the answer is, he's not sure if he's brave enough to say it, but he finds courage from somewhere. "Are we.. poor?" His mother looks so angry; he thinks he'll get another slap. "Don't be ridiculous Finnick, we're having a blip, and we'll be rich again soon," She looks at him sternly. "Finnick I don't want you to ever call us poor again, everything will be fine, I'm fixing things."

Even as his mother answers him, even he can tell, that there's something wrong with the sound of her voice, his worried the situation is worse than she's told him, and he has no idea how long things have been bad. He only really noticed that the things they owned, started to be sold, when they were items he _liked_, the piano, karaoke set and his convertible car. But thinking real hard he's almost certain that other items he _didn't_ care, started to disappear before his dad even died. It's very hot and humid but his mother insists all doors and windows must be closed, to stop them repro men getting in, he wonders why his mother doesn't call the police on them.

Finnick paces in his room, considers what he should do, more and more of their possessions are being sold, to keep the repro men away. He wants to keep some of his favorite treasures. He struck suddenly by an idea, he smiles to himself. He won't have long to do time but he certain that he can, out in a spot with wild grass and flowers, he'd play in a lookout tree. His dad had dug a treasure hole and put board of nailed together planks over it to cover it. Finnick would hide treasure in it.

His battery operated car has been sold, but he still has his bike with a cart attached he can put things in it, his mom's in the study she uses, reading papers of some kind for the rest of the day. So he should have time to do what he needs.

He opens his toy chest and takes out his soft toys, and puzzles until he finds where he hid what he wants to keep. He takes out his painted gray storage box, that's the size of a tool box, he keeps the key for it on a rope necklace round his neck, he checks everything he wants are inside and adds a bear his dad bought for him, called Honeyduke, due to its honey colored fur, it has a stud and tag inside one of its ears, it's just a little taller than Finnick's hand and not very wide, his bear fits nice in the remaining space with his other treasures.

Theres no telling how long it might be before he'll see his bear again, so he gives it a kiss and pats it head. "You'll be safe in there." He said closing his box and putting the padlock back on. He takes his scissors from his homework room, where he had school prep lessons and returns to scratch a message into the metal box.

_These items belong to me. It's not finders keepers, one day I'll come back for them. I'll haunt you if you take my stuff. _He leaves the scissors on his bedside table. Carrying the big metal box downstairs isn't easy, he has to hold the handle at the top with both hands, he wants to take a break before he get to his bike, but he knows he can't risk, his mother seeing it and asking about its contents.

By the time he gets to the garage he's tired, he puts it down into his red cart, that's attached to his bike. He covers his cart with an old cover so if his mom looks in she won't see his box. He has one last box to collect form his dads study.

In the study his dad has a safe, he once told Finnick that inside it was his grandmother jewelry and that one day it'd be his to give to his wife. The safe is built into the wall, is the only reason his mom hasn't emptied it, because she doesn't know the combination, he's seen her try and fail more than once. Finnick knows it though, he's glad she's never asked him about it.

When playing not long ago, he saw his dad go into the safe and he watched, as his dad said the combination as he was opening it, not realizing Finnick was playing nearby. He pushes his dad's desk chair up to the wall. His mom made the mistake of trying out birthdays to open it, but the combination Finnick heard, wasn't any birthday he knew of.

His dad showed him the keypad with numbers on, he puts in the one's he heard, his heart beats so fast, with fear of being caught and of possibly being wrong or both. He presses enter, the safe beeps once, clicks and the door opens. He takes out his grandmother's jewelry box with its key lay on the lid and puts it on the desk, there's some stacks of money and a jeweled egg. His dad called it a Faberge egg, Finnick doesn't know what Faberge is but is beautiful and when you open it there's a pretty seahorse inside, it encrusted with jewels. He attaches the jewelry box key, to his rope necklace with his other key.

In the study bin is a clean bin liner with nothing in it, he puts the jewelry box, money and the egg inside it last, he tries to protect it using the money, to cushion it. He makes sure that the coast is clear, as he makes his way back to the cart. He's lucky his mom isn't around, he ties a loose knot the top, takes the cover of his cart and puts the bag in, before getting his child sized shovel, he uses to help with the garden in case he needs to make the hole bigger, when he gets there. Finnick adds it to his cart and chucks the cover back over, tucking it in so no one can see what's in his cart.

His metallic blue helmet hangs on the end of one on the handles, he clips it on. He presses the garage door button from the inside to raise it and takes his bike out. Then goes back in and presses the button to lower it again, it closes slowly so he's able to get out before it comes all the way down.

It takes him a few minutes, to get the pedals going on his bike; he leaves through the manually opening gates. And rides partway, down the road in the opposite direction to the beach it's a while to ride form his house, his legs hurt from the effort of riding his bike, with so much extra weight, but he's determined to make it to a spot, where he can bury his possessions.

He rides on the dirt pathway, though the rugged land sometimes but not often used for jogging and walking, but isn't owned by anyone or part of a park. It's particularly difficult to negotiate, he has to get off a couple of times and drag his bike by the handle bar, to get it out of ruts, too his lookout tree.

Riding his bike tired him, He pulls the wooden broad cover away to reveal the hole, and it's large enough for one box but not two, so he takes his shovel and digs more of the dry earth, until it's just big enough and deep enough for both. He sits and rest a few minutes under the shade of the tree, Finnick rubs his sweaty forehead. The hole is not as deep as he'd like, but the boxes' will fit. He can feel blisters on the otherwise smooth skin of his hands, they also turned pinky read and are sore.

Finnick opens his metal box, with his warning on, he takes everything out and puts the money at the bottom before and arranging the contents to better fit his treasures, it's a tight fit but he gets it all in, including the egg and closed. He worries the worms and bugs will destroy the wood on the jewelry box, but he remember his school preparation teacher, telling him it takes about five hundred years, for a plastic bag to decompose, when they were talking about recycling.

He puts both boxes in the bin liner and ties a tight knot, hoping it'll be enough to keep his treasures safe, until he's able to return form them. Finnick chucks and replaces the dirt with his hands and stomps it down with his feet, the soil patch isn't to noticeable, he leans the no longer needed board against the tree hoping it won't draw attention to the hole he dug.

Once he's back home he presses the door buzzer for his mom to let him in. It takes a while for her to answer. She opens the door cautiously, expecting the repo men. She's aghast when she sees him. "Finnick good god, your filthy, where you been? Get in now." He enters dragging his bike. "Sorry mom, I got bored so I went out to play." "Don't you do that again; you don't leave the house for any reason, without me knowing. How many times have I told you about the repo men?" Finnick couldn't count the times, even if he took off shoes and socks off as well as counting his fingers. "You're going to bed without ant dinner, right now, your grounded, go wash yourself and get into bed."

She dose however let him take his bike back to the garage. He's hungry but he doesn't complain his mission is complete; he washes and goes to bed as told, but gets up when it's quiet and the house is dark for food. He's good at creeping around quietly and he knows his mom won't hear him.

Only a few nights later, his mother wakes him in the middle of the night. "Get up, Finnick now we're leaving." He's dazed and confused, slowly he does as he's' told rubbing at his tired eyes. "I'm packing this case with clothes, for you and your sister,_ one_ toy each only."

He responds as fast as he can. She'd told him earlier that morning, they'd have to leave in the middle of the night. "Help Breeze, to pick out one toy and do the same, I'll pack the clothes." She urged him quietly as though the repo men might hear her.

Breeze is sobbing confusedly in her room. "It's OK Breeze, we're going on an adventure, and you need to pick your favorite toy to come with u,." He gives her a hug as he explains it too her. She quietness a little but continues to cry. "Finn-Finn, I want more than one," He tries for too long to convince her she can only take one. "Wait her," he said to her as he runs back to his room and get his school backpack. He puts a few books in and goes back to his sister, then hopes she'll agree to his new plan. "You can _only_ have what will fit in here, get them quick," she nods and takes his backpack, to stuff toys in. He grabs a few of her books and stuffs them in too.

His mom comes into his sister's room with two suitcases, looking wild and terrified. "We need to get in the car, dress quick in anything left in your wardrobe, I'll help Breeze." He returns to his room puts on his T-shirt, Jeans, hooded top and trainers, leaving his pajamas on the floor. He takes a last sad look at his bedroom before re-joining his mom and sister.

"I'll put the sutcases in the trunk; you and your sister get in the back and put your seat belts on." He hurries to do as he's told; his mom opens the trunk and slams it closed, with a thud. Finnick sits Breeze in the middle and himself by the door, he holds the backpack.

When his mom's in she puts a plastic bag in the back. "There's food in there, if you get hungry, now let's get out of here and leave what's left of the house, to the repo men." Finnick's tired scared and confused but he nods, as his mom starts the engine and backs out of the garage, in a second hand car she bought after selling, the two she and his dad drove. Finnick's only thought is to wonder if he'll ever see his home again and if he'll ever be able to return for his treasures.

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	2. Ice Cream and Tears

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger games

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**Ice cream and Tears**

After leaving the only home he's ever know, and a long car drive. Finnick and his family spent two nights in different hotels, With his mother continuing to insist everything will be fine, and that she just needs time to find them a new home to live in.

Money had never been something, Finnick gave much thought too. But now he's worried how _much_ they have. His mom tells him everything will be all right. But both hotels have benn terrible quality and unlike the few he remembers staying at in the past. The place they're now staying at is a Motel that has one bed for them all, a flickering light bathroom light, a strange smell and dirty floors and walls.

His mom has been on the phone all morning, and leaving to see various people about their new home. Finnick's job has been to take care of his sister, watch TV and to stop complaining for food. The last meal they ate was yesterday, sandwiches from a sandwich shop and soda with no dessert. It's now almost teatime of the next day, with no food.

She comes inside form one of her many phone conversation. "Good news children," She said. Inwardly, he wants his mother to tell him, they can eat now, but he's sure that won't be it. "We have a new home to go to, we'll be moving in tomorrow." It's the next best thing she could say to him. "Is it a nice place? Will I have my own room?" He asked her eagerly.

Finnick's mom huffs loudly, she sits on the one bed and kicks off her shoes. When she speaks, she sounds as happy, as she did when his dad was alive. "Well now, I haven't exactly _seen_ this new home, but I'm told for people in our circumstances, it's the best we'll do, for the time being, you'll have to share a room with your sister, but I know you're a good enough big brother to deal with that, for a while. It's an apartment and it isn't big, but it comes furnished. I have the address and we can move in as soon as I get the call tomorrow."

He gives his mom him a big hug, things have been hard recently, but now things must be looking up for them. "I'm afraid I'm too tired to go out and get food, tonight but tomorrow we'll eat as soon as we move in. If you want, you can have something from the vending machine tonight." She takes change from her purse and hands it to Finnick. "Just get something, for you and your sister to share, I'm fine for now."

When they first arrived at the hotel, Finnick wasn't allowed to go anywhere alone, but now that seems to have changed, he leaves their room and pulls the hood, of his hooded top onto his head, it's not really cold outside, but it makes him feel a little more secure, even though it offers him no protection from anything or anyone.

The Motel is 'L' shaped and their room, is the furthest form the vending machines. At first Finnick moves very slowly, conscious of the open car park and the cars parked in it, where someone could easily hide by one of the vichales. _There's no reason to be scared, mom wouldn't have let me come out here alone, if there was any danger._

His fear makes him breathe in and out heavily. Its twilight and they sky is pretty, it's turning dark blue with the evening, but still has some orange red colour that hasn't yet been eaten by the night. Finnick realises that his doing an odd shuffle instead of walking.

_Just run,_ _go fast there and back_, but he can't he doesn't want to attract the attention for anyone, he might not be able to see past the cars. He does mange to pick up his pace to a fast walk, still breathing hard and looking around all the time for any possible danger, like an animal on high alert.

The vending machine is on shorter wall, of the Motel, along with some kind of store room. He's relived as he finally reaches it. The lights inside it are on, offering just enough of a glow to see by. He makes a quick decision on what to buy, salt and vinegar potatoes chips for himself, ready salted for Breeze and a soft centred caramel candy bar for them both to share. He opens his hand; he'd squeezed hold of the coins with, in his nervous state and dug his fingernails into his palm.

He didn't count what he had before, he hopes he has enough. Finnick presses the buttons, making sure they are the right ones for what he wants; he listens to the coins clink, as he puts them in to pay. The noise seems overly loud compared to the silence around him, he jumps slightly as the first bag of potato chips falls and hits with a thud into the metal receptacle.

His hands shake with fear of being out at a time, when his mother would normally insist that, he can either play out with Lola watching, or if his family were going out he'd have to stay with them and not leave their sight. He hasn't got Lola or his mom, or dad, Finnick feels tears start in his eyes.

It feels like it takes too long, to pay for the other two items, he has just enough change with a couple of coins left over. He grips the remaining change tight in his hand again, and bends down, to push open the flap into the receptacle. He feels around with his free hand touching the cold metal, and pulls out one pack of potato chip, he puts the packet in his mouth and reaches back in for the other one and the candy bar.

This time Finnick runs back to the Motel room, with the packet in his mouth, pressing against his chin. He doesn't like his smell or the look Motel room, but he's glad when he finally turns the handle and gets back inside, to safety, his mom and his sister.

"What took you so long? I could have been there and back six times, in the time it took you, to go once, your sister's hungry," She said coldly. He had experienced a brief sensation of happiness and pride, in going out all by himself, and being brave but it disappear with his mother words.

Breeze is sat on the bed, with their mom, he gives her the potato chips but keeps the candy bar in his pocket, so she'll eat them first. He opens the packet for her and rubs her head. He's just about to eat his own. "Finnick Richardson what do you think you're doing?" She said in the tone his mother uses to reprimand him. Finnick looks at her confused as to what he might have done.

She sighs. "Go and wash your hands and face before you eat anything, god knows how filthy the vending machine was." He almost wants to laugh, anyone would think he was going to a posh dinner, with important people and he'd come in, covered head to toe in mud, not a child about to eat potato chips. He puts the change on the bedside table, with his chips and goes into the bathroom.

The bathroom has a pull cord light, he pulls it with a click and the light, flickers on, but never stays stable. He turns the tap on fast, not bothering to check which; he's too hungry to care. He uses his bare hands to splash his face with the warm water and rub it with his hand, he doesn't both to use the ugly looking piece of soap, he's convinced it has more germs than a toilet.

His sister is trying to open, the family sized bottle of cola, his mom bought the day before. He opens it and helps her to take a drink, there's a crunching sound, he turns as he puts the top back on the soda bottle, once his sister has finished drinking, to see his mom eating his potato chips.

Finnicks so angry he could scream, she told him she didn't want anything. She looks over at him and gives him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I was hungrier than I thought, hear you can finish them." She said holding out a less than half empty packet. Finnick doesn't like his little sister to hear him yell, so he grudgingly sits by the TV and finishes the little that's left.

He realizes he still has the candy bar, in his pocket, he could eat it all by himself when his mom and sister are sleeping, Finnick however isn't that greedy. Breeze climbs off the bed and come to join him. "I love you Finn-Finn," she said hugging him tightly. His heartbreaks at even thinking of not sharing his candy bar with her, she smaller than him and younger, she needs all the food she can get.

"I love you to, Bo look what I've gotten for you," Finnick said offering the candy bar to her and holding his finger to his lips. "Shush.. Don't tell mom," he whispers to her. He opens the foil packet and separates the pieces. Her eyes light up and she eats it, she gets to the last piece and looks at it, then at Finnick. "For my best brother, in the whole wide world," She said putting it in his hand. His eyes blur with yet more tears. "Thank you," He said before putting it in his mouth and letting it melt there, tasting the sweet gooey goodness. Finnick rubs tears from his eyes.

Later that night, when his mom and sister are sleeping, he cries as quietly as he can and wonders how his life changed so much and when it will ever get better again. All too soon his mother is shaking him awake. "It's time to get up and go to our new house," she said then added. "We'll get breakfast, after we get there." Finnick would like to ask why they can't get breakfast first, but he doesn't bother, his mom might yell and then she might say he can't have any, so he keeps quiet.

After packing up the few things they still own, his mother gets him and his sister into the car with their cases, and makes them buckle up then goes to return the motel keys. She returns quickly, "right off to our new home children." Finnick and his sister clap as she starts the car and drives them away from the dirty motel.

He and Breeze bore quickly, the car ride turns out to be a long one, or maybe not so long. She has to stop repeatedly to try and gain directions. Finnick guesses the distance from the motel to their new home, could be shorter than it initially felt.

"This is a bad neighbourhood," his mother said looking concerned. As they drive, into a graffitied area with run down dirty looking buildings. People ether walk fast to where they're going, or they hang round in groups, looking like they're up to no good. "Surly, on one would send a mother with two young children to live round here?" She said. Finnick catches sight of her horrified face in the rear view mirror.

The town they are moving into is often described by people in neighbouring areas as 'the wrong side of town.' Its official name, is Morton a town in Oregon state. Only the truly desperate, buy or rent places in the town. It has a high crime rate and is the joke of neighbouring towns. Some go as far as to drive further and avoid the town completely, because they are too afraid to even drive through it.

"Maybe, you should stop and ask that lady, for more directions," he said trying to be helpful, pointing at a group of women standing on the street corner. "Look she's so helpful; she's telling that man directions," he said. Watching her lean into the open car window. "No Finnick!" she yelled, before adding in a softer voice. "Sweetie were not asking _those_ lady's anything, in fact you should stay well away, form them." She stops the car and looks around for a couple of minutes.

"OK, I have a plan; we're definitely where I was told we should come too. I'm not leaving you two and our cases in the car round here, so we'll take them into the building and find out if this _really _is our, new home, we might have to just… cope a while," his mom said ominously. "Finnick put your backpack on and be ready to get out of the car. Hold on to Breeze's hand and don't let go, I'll need both of mine to carry the suitcases." "OK, mom I'll hold on to her nice and tight."

His mom gets out of the car first, to get the cases. Finnick puts on his backpack, and undoes his own and Breezes seatbelt, ready to get out of the car. He opens the door and gets out, helping his sister after him. He takes her hand tightly. "Don't let go now Bo," he said she nods.

Together they walk as close to each other as they can, up the four stone steps, to the apartment building. The long street has many narrow buildings, which look like they've all been squished tightly together by invisible hands. They enter the third building to the street corner, with the women, his mother told him not to go near, it's at least four storey high, is far as he can see.

His mom puts one suitcase down to press the door bell, which turns out to make more of a buzz sound, like it might have an angry wasp trapped in it that buzzes when pressed. They wait quietly outside the paint chipped wooden door.

It's opened by a dirty looking man, in pants and a stained shirt. "What do you want?" The man older than his mother and balding asked. His mother put on the voice she uses to talk to posh guests at parties. "Hello there, my name is Mrs Richardson, I spoke to someone, possibly you, about moving into an apartment?" She shows the man the piece of paper with the address written on. "Oh right, best come in." He said without shaking hands with her, which Finnick takes as being very rude.

He leads them in to the ground floor hallway, by an old stair case leading up and one next too it leading down and a door in the back wall. The closed door to the side has a plaque on it that reads landlord. "I expect rent, the first of the month, if you don't pay; I kick you out with the kids. I don't care what happens to you or them so don't beg or cry, make sure you pay. We agreed a month's rent in advance," he holds out a dirty hand expectantly.

"We haven't yet viewed the apartment," His mom said. Finnick can tell she's scared. "Look you either want, the place or you don't and from what you said, I don't think anyone in your positions going to find better, so pay up or get out now," he said smiling cruelly at his mom. Finnick scowls at him and clenches his free hand. If he were older and bigger he'd punch the man, for speaking to her like that.

She puts the case down and takes her purse out and gives the man money. "Right, if you have any issues, with anything in the building, write them on a slip of paper and put them in the box. I make no promise to fix or do anything about them. The whole of the ground floor is mine wait here, I'll get your keys," he said.

He goes back inside the room with the land lord door plaque. He returns with three keys, these two are apartment keys, this one's for the mail box." He gestures behind them to dented metal boxes on the wall each with an apartment number, a slot for mail to be placed in and a keyhole. "Yours is seventeen the same as your apartment number. The stairs you see leading down go to the laundry room you buy your own washing powder and detergent and the door at the back leads out to the dumpster. Now up you go floor four and don't bother me until it's time to pay rent." He goes back inside his room slamming the door leaving them in the hallway.

"Let go find our new home, shall we?" His mother said with false cheer. They climb the steep creaking staircase up the four floors, the apartment complex to Finnick resembles, resembles the types of buildings used in cop shows, his dad would sometimes let him watch, the kind of place a murderer or criminal would live. The thought makes him swallow hard and walk closer to his mom, he bumps into her side every now and then.

She opens the front door to apartment seventeen. If it's possible the smell is far worse than the Motel, It makes him pinch his nose, in an attempt to block it out and on first sight, he wants to run out, screaming all the way back to the Motel. "Ahem, I think it needs a bit of work," His mom said.

Their apartment has one main room, it's rectangular with one main window on the wall opposite the front door. The sofa that's either dirty and the pattern it faded many years ago, it's not _exactly_ black, grey or brown but an odd mixture of all those colours. Finnick doesn't like the thought of sitting on it, his mother notices him staring at it. "It'll be fine, we'll just throw a sheet, or something over it to cover it, best not to sit on it before though," She said putting the cases down and rubbing her arms and flexing her fingers, after carrying them upstairs.

The television seems to be on some sort of homemade television stand, even to Finnick's eyes it's badly constructed. There's a narrow gap between the sofa and the window there are two doors on the same wall the television stand is against. Finnick enters the first door closest to him.

It's the bathroom, even though it's, is just as depressing as the living room. He can't help but laugh a little and think how amusing it would be to try and sit on the toilet, whilst washing one hand, and putting both feet in the shower, the rooms so small he could without much effort.

Through the second door, are two single beds with no sheets or pillows. Against the wall that separates the bedroom from the bathroom, a rail has been put up with some metal clothes hangers, on the wall at the far side is the grubby bedroom window with a black Venetian blind, the sun comes through more than it should, due to some of the horizontal slats being missing or bent. He leaves because there's nothing else to see in there.

There's one other room, opposite his and Breezes, that's for their mom. The only difference to theirs is that the bed is big enough for two and the blind is in a little better condition. Next to his mom's room, are kitchen cabinets, one with sink with dripping tap, the fridge and cooker, near the front door is a small plastic table and three folding chairs that look cheap and possibly meant for a garden.

"We'll leave the suitcases, in the living room and go out to get some breakfast, then shop." She locks their new front door and behind them, Finnick still holding Breezes hand follows her back out the dinner called Mick's Dinner, just across the road and a little higher up than where they live.

There aren't many people in the dinner. They sit in a booth close to the warmth of the kitchens. Finnick almost drools with hunger. "Try and keep your choice to five dollar or under," his mom said. After a few minutes the waitress comes over. "What can I get you?" She asked pleasantly. "Can I have the fried chicken and fries please?" "Would you like a drink with that?" "No thank you," He said lying. His chicken and fries costs four dollar ninety-nine cents and he doesn't want to go over the five dollars.

His mom orders eggs and bacon, Breeze has fish sticks, beans and fries. "We'll take two lemon sodas," his mom said to the waitress finishing the order. She leans across the table to him and whispers, "Finnick the sodas are free refills, you can share mine, drink what you like." He smiles back at her. "Thanks mom."

When the food arrives, Finnick eats like he's never been fed; he doesn't even use his knife and fork just his fingers. Like she promised his mom shares her soda, they end up drinking three glasses between them. Once he's finished he wipes his greasy face and hands on a napkin.

"Right lets go to the nearest supermarket, and find a few items for the apartment, then we'll get back, so I can sort out a school for you and day care for Breeze." Finnick nods enthusiastically. His mom has a conversation with the waitress before they leave, then comes back to them. "Apparently there's a supermarket nearby a little way down this road, we'll see it as we get near." They go back to the apartment building; she stops briefly to borrow a phone book from the landlord, and to call the local elementary school for an appointment about transferring Finnick.

The supermarket turns out to be one of a chain that sells many things, from food, to general items for the home and toys. "We'll start with food I think, since we need that to live. Then we'll look at other necessary aisles, but we're only getting what we _really_ need. The cereal aisle is the closest to them, "OK, one box for all of us, we can't have lots of different kinds." Finnick wants a sugary cereal but his mom disapproved of that kind, when they had money, so there's no way, he'll be getting it now.

Breeze sits in the trolley without paying any real, attention to what's going on. His mom picks up Rice Crispies. "Everyone likes these, what do you think?" She asked Finnick. "Yeah I like those," he answered. He'd much rather have the sugared kind but he decides they'll do. He spots a cheaper different brand box on a lower shelf. "Maybe we should get these, they're a bit cheaper," he said holding, a box without cartoon characters. "Good thinking Finnick."

They go round the rest of the food section, getting essentials. Milk, bread, boloney, a few cans of soup, some packets of noodles and a small selection for fruit. "OK, hopefully that should keep us going, until I can find a job and earn us a bit more money," she said after tapping the prices, of the items into a calculator, to check the total spend.

"Now we need bedding, and hopefully something to throw over the old sofa." In the home furnishing section, they're lucky enough to find a sale on, as much as half off on some items. "This is good Finnick, help me find the best priced bedding." Finnick likes being helpful and heads over to the sheets. "We need at least two singles and a double one. I'm going to look at pillows."

Carefully he searches through and looks, for the cheapest ones, he pulls out three packs of single white sheets and one double and takes them to his mom. "Why three Finnick?" She asked. He throws a glance his mom catches, at Breeze. "I guess you're right, a spare in case of accidents. What would I do without you?" She said ruffling his hair.

She points at the pillows in the trolley. "We're in luck, the pillows have two in a pack, that means we get one each plus a spare," she said excitedly. She looks through the duvets near the pillows. "We can probably manage without pillow cases and duvet covers for the time being; now we can get a sofa throw to cover the ugly thing up.

His mom finds a navy blue one. "I'd prefer something in a lighter colour, but this won't show dirt as quick. With the saving, we should be able to get some cleaning supplies." In the aisle of cleaning products, they get everything they need to clean the apartment and make one last stop for kitchen utensils, bowls and plates.

When they get back to the apartment, they clean it while Breeze watches TV. Finnick does what he can to help his mom. Finally they put on the bedding and the sofa throw on, his mom give the room a blast of pine scented air freshener from a spry can. "There it's much better now." His mom said sitting down on the sofa. "I have to go out and see the Principal of Alan Jefferson soon, but first I have to see Mick about possible work at the dinner, so I'll have to leave the two of you alone."

"I want to play out." Breeze said pulling on Finnick's sleeve, his mom sighs heavily," She looks at Finnick "Did you see the park on the way here? It's not far, take your sister out for a little while, come back before dark." Finnick's surprised his mom asked him to take his sister out, when they still don't know the area very well and it's doesn't look safe for adults to be out alone, never mind him and his sister.

She gives him the extra apartment key, and puts it on one of the necklaces she doesn't often ware for him. "I saw it, we'll be all right, I'll take care of her." He said trying to be brave, he wants some fresh air anyway and to get out of the now fake pine smelling room, that still doesn't really get rid of the apartment's dodgy odour, it just make the air harder for him to breath and starts him coughing.

The park is on the long road, Finnick's mom drove down to the apartment, and it's quite large, with a soccer pitch, children's play area and basketball court. There are some children playing now, they're out of school for the evening. Some older kids, are also lurking round just outside by the soccer pitch. He takes Breeze as far from them as he can but keeps an eye on them, in case they come over looking for trouble, not that he'd be able to do much if they did.

"What do you want to play on first?" He asked. "The slide," she said running over too it. Finnick watches as she climbs it, then goes to the bottom and waits. "Ready, steady, go!" He shouted, Breeze slides down, claps, then gets up and runs around to slide down it again. She does it a few more times before music stops her.

"Ice cream van!" she yelled. Finnick hopes it won't stop by the park. He has no money from an ice cream, and after everything his mom bought for the supermarket, he doubts she'd give them any, even if he could make it home and she was there, which she wouldn't be anyway. The ice cream van stops he curses under his breath.

"Finn-Finn, I want one, Pleease." He has no idea what he should do; he's always found it hard not to give his sister what she wants. He goes over to the van, without knowing what he'll do, Breeze waits for him just away from the crowed of kids that have gathered also wanting ice cream.

He waits by the side of the van, watching other kids and parents get theirs. As the queue starts to shrink, Finnick knows he won't be able to give her what she wants. As he walks to the other side of the van and sees two kids arguing, one of them drops their ice cream on the floor.

The child, who dropped it, chases the kid who made them drop it, yelling angrily. Finnick goes over to Breeze. "Bo go sit on the bench over there, I'll be with you in a minute." He runs to the fallen ice cream, he knows he and Breeze shouldn't really eat anything off the floor, but he only intends to check its condition first, before committing to giving it to his sister.

Finnick uses the cone, to scope the ice cream form the floor. He inspects it, it's melted a bit and there's a few bits of grass stuck to it, he pulls them off and dusts the cone with his sleeve. He doesn't think it's be right, to feed his sister ice cream that might have dirt he can't see, so he licks round the sweet strawberry ice cream, hoping that it clean enough for her and that if a dirty ice cream makes anyone sick it's him.

He carries it quickly back to her, he smiles pleased that he's manage to get it, without stealing or begging for money. "Here you go Bo, I got you this, I hope you don't mid I had a lick. Just one thing though, promise not to tell mom I got you one?" She crosses her finger over her heart. "I promise Finn-Finn, can I have it now?" He gives it to her.

She eats it, seemingly none the wiser, about it being on the floor about a minute earlier. He makes her sit and watch the other kids play, before letting her get up to play again, they join some other kids to play tag, until the game gets rough, then he stops it so that Breeze doesn't get pushed over. She starts to get tired and they sun starts to set, so he decides it's time to get back home with her. His mom will be back at the apartment soon to he assumes.

On the way back they chat about their new home and bed room he and Breeze are sharing. "I'm glad I'm sharing a room with you, you can scare the monsters away for me," She said. "Of course I will, I all ways will," he answered.

The front door lock is difficult to open; it takes Finnick a few tries to open it with his key. He lets them both in. His mom's still out, They sit watching TV until she gets back. "I'm home," his mom called as she enters. "Right we'll have tea and I'll tell you how things went." His mom's said smiling so he thinks the news must be good.

When their tea of sandwiches and potato chips has been made, they all sit down to eat. "I have good news," his mom said. "They need another waitress and Mick agreed to give me a trail tomorrow, so you'll need to look after yourself and your sister, I should be back by afternoon." "What will Bo and I do?" "I'm afraid; you'll think of something by yourself. I managed to get you a place at Alan Jefferson; the principal's sorting everything out, you'll even get free school Lunch. You should start on Monday," his mom said, In between eating her tea.

"There's also a day care, just next door so Breeze will start there the same day, you start school. The only minor problem is you'll both have to walk there and back. It's not hard to find, I'll show you the way tomorrow." She said.

After they've finished watching TV for the night, his mom puts his sister to bed. Finnick gets himself ready for bed, then he goes to his and Breeze's room. Finnick scares the monsters, from under both beds to make her happy. Just starts to fall asleep in his bed. He hears loud voices coming from the apartment next door. "I hate you, you no good piece of carp." A woman screamed, there's smashing sounds and banging, Breeze looks terrified. Finnick goes to sit with her, the arguing and fighting continues.

"Lie down Breeze, I'm here they won't hurt you." She puts her head down lying on her side, he presses a pillow to her other ear and sings, to try and drown out the shouting and banging form the neighbours, he sings until she falls asleep.

He cries silently over how much he hates his new apartment and how he wishes he could turn the clock back to when they lived, in the beautiful mansion that people envied, but most of all back then his dad would have been alive. Slowly his eyes grow heavy and droopy, until he finally closes them for the night.

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**Please note: The Morton in this fic doesn't actually exist, if there is one in Oregon, it isn't this one****.**

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**Thank you for the great reviews so far and the follows and the favourites! Keep them coming if you like this please.**


	3. Alan Jefferson Elementary

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

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**Alan Jefferson Elementary**

When morning comes, Finnick rises reluctant with the realization that he has just three whole days left before, he starts his new school. Finnick was looking forward to starting first grade with, his friends from Kindergarten, but now he'll have to try and make new frinds, which won't be easy because he's missed just almost the whole first month of the semester.

Once he's dressed and has had breakfast, they prepare to leave so his mom can show him, the way to his new school before work. To Finnick the walk is a long one, there are a few roads to cross. He tries to pay attention to street names and buildings, that he can easily recognise on his way home, he has no idea how he'd get his sister to day care or home, if he had to carry her, or if she became un cooperative, like toddlers sometimes do.

The school is as badly graffitied, as his home and surrounding area. From the outside where he stands, all he can see is concrete and stone. Someone has stolen the first letter 'E' form the word Elementary. "I'm sure it'll look better form the inside." His mother said with fake cheery optimism.

At his previous school, Finnick had only attended the kindergarten, but it was close to the beach and they had trees to climb, grass, jungle gym and other play equipment. Finnick thinks he'd be lucky if he could find a stone to kick around let alone a ball.

Finnick doesn't realize his luck, nor will he, if his mom had gotten any of the other apartments, they'd have ended up in the boundary, for the worst school in the area. it's still the kind of school, no one really wants their child to go to, unless they have no other options.

Most people move out of the area, if they are rich enough, just to get there children, into any other neighboring district school . But Finnick's mother has no choice and can't afford to be anywhere else. Finnick will never know how that will tear her apart.

He tries to enjoy his last days before his school transfer is complete. It's hard though because other than taking Breeze too day care. The rest of his time during the day, he has to find his own ways to entertain himself. He explores the area around where he lives in Morton but never relay goes far, due to his fear of getting lost or being hurt by the people he sees hanging round.

Most of his time off he spends in front of the TV or in the Park, he's relived though on Sunday evening, to know that he finally will have something to do, even if it is school work. He'll be glad to be around others his own age again.

In the morning his mom gets out his best clothes. To his horror she packed some of his good shirts, three woolen vest tops, the bowties he hates, some black pants and his extra shiny shoes. All of which he normal only wears for formal occasions. "No one else around here dresses like this," he complained sulkily for the one hundredth time, pulling the vest top again. His mom wins and finally securing the bowtie around his neck, almost choking him in the process.

"There now you look lovely dear," She said thrilled with her efforts. Remember "We must always put our face on." He hates her stupid saying, which to Finnick means nothing more, than being forced to wear fancy and uncomfortable clothing. His mother attacks his hair viciously with a wet comb. "Ow you're hurting," Finnick said closer to tears by the minute. "We must make a good impression today, it's your first day, you can't go badly dressed."

The only thing he and his mother agree on is that he should wear his leather coat; it's a black and custom made to be the best fit on him, another replica of something his dad owned, he feels close to his dad again as he puts it on, but a large hole opens in his heart, at his absence and threaten to make him cry. "Finnick, please don't, we have to be out before school starts." She hands him some tissues.

He's already had his morning's breakfast, so he doesn't need food, but his stomach already feels empty. "OK, the secretary form the school called, you'll be able to get your free school lunch today, so don't forget and go hungry will you?" "No mom, I won't," He answered.

"Right Finnick, you have the spare key?" he nods and lifts up the key, on a chain from one of his mother least used necklaces. "Good off we go." His mother carries his sister, she still uses a stroller for long distances, but his mom didn't bring it with them. "I'm working again at Mick's dinner, he agreed to give me the waitress job full-time. I don't start until the afternoon so you'll have to take care of yourself and your sister, until I get home." Finnick nods.

His mom walks with him to school for his first morning, doping Breeze off at day care first. They part at the reception desk; the other children are just starting to show up for the day, his teacher is waiting to give him his tour of the school. "It's good, to meet you I'm Miss Walters, you'll be in my class for the year, shall we have a look around?" She asked.

Miss Walter's appears old, in the way that all adults do to young children. She is actually young, newly qualified and has just started her first year teaching, at Alan Jefferson Elementary. She has straight black hair, friendly blue eyes and a kind smile. Finnick likes her on first sight.

She takes him down the main corridor, showing him the other classes, sports hall, small swimming pool, left over from when the school was once, we funded and before Morton fell into decline, the library, outside play areas and Fire exits. "Now I'll introduce you to your class mates," She said as the tour ends at his class room door.

"You can have the desk by the window on the front row." He wanders over, too it and puts his backpack on the floor by the leg of his desk, he's about to put his coat on the back of his chair. "Oh Finnick sorry, coats and bags go on the pegs in the little room in the back." Miss Walters gets up from her desk and takes him, to the small room at the back.

Miss Walter's clicks the light on, all of the coat pegs have names over them except two, he guesses he should, hang his on one of the ones without a name, his teacher nods as he put his coat and bag on one. "Good, I'll get you a name card and you can do that, before the bell rings."

Finnick takes his pencil case back to his desk. Miss Walter's takes something from a drawer in her desk. "Can you spell your name Finnick, or do you need help?" He smiles up at her "No Miss, I can do that myself," He answered. "OK good boy, just fetch it to my desk when you've done, I'll put it above your coat peg, at recess." She leaves him too it.

When he allowed his sister to put her toys in his backpack, he took out what he wouldn't need but kept his leather pencil case, it was one of the few things he allowed himself, because he knew he'd have to go to a new school.

The school's lacking colour. It has Brown lino flooring, beige walls, black plastic chairs with metal legs, white Lunch tables, with the same black plastic chairs. The school makes him feel glum and in need of living up. The school bell rings, he hears the other kids running the hallways shouting and laughing, some of the burst into the room.

"Calm down children, put your bags and coats away and take your seats, please," His teacher said. Finnick opens his pencil case and takes out his felt pens, he uses the brightest colours he has, to write the letters of his name, First name on the top line and last name on the bottom one, he writes carefully, making sure his letters are readable. On the name card he draws two brightly coloured fish, he just manages to squish them in in the spaces either side of his name.

As the last of the children enter, Finnick takes his card and puts it on her desk, he becomes aware the other kids are staring at him and whispering. "Look at his funny clothes." A voice behind him whispers. The child who spoke or one sat close by the speaker giggles.

He told his mom, he shouldn't have dressed up, now he has proof, he pretends not to have heard. "It's very nice Finnick, you have good handwriting," his teacher said complimenting him; he goes back to his desk and sits with his eyes to the front, looking at the blank chalk board on the wall. Miss Walters stands.

"I'm sure you've all noticed we have a new student today. Finnick would you like to stand up and tell the class about yourself?" He puts his pens back in his pencil case and stands he steadies his nerves, as he stands next to Miss Walter's desk.

"My Names Finnick Richardson, I moved into an apartment near here, I like to swim and play sports, and I also like reading and math. I'd like to make lots of friends," His voice trails off at the end of the word 'friends'. He's unsure if any of the children want to be friends with a boy, who dresses funny. "That's nice Finnick, take your seat again." He returns back to his seat, with giggles and sniggers.

Math is Finnick's first class of the day; they do some examples, of sums on the chalk board and in a game Miss Walters made up to help them. Then she hands out work books, a tub of counters and text books. As she puts his on the desk she speaks to him. "Write Math, on the top line, yours on the second and mine on the last, I'll write mine on the chalkboard for you." "Thanks Miss," Finnick said.

His father bought him, a metal pen engraved with his name, in a fancy box as a gift, for him starting first grade. He holds the box in his hand, but can't bear to open it and use the pen, reading his name on it reminds him of his dad. He wonders if the pain in his heart will ever fade, his eyes blur, with tears but her refuses to cry, he won't be the boy who cries on his first day, as well as dresses funny.

On the day he received the pen, his dad called him into his office. "You're a big a boy now Finnick, and off to first grade after the holidays and you need a gift suitable for the occasion." His dad took the pen, out of his own desk draw, which was much bigger, than Miss Walters. His dads was dark mahogany, hand carved desk polished with bees wax. Finnick loved the scent of his dads desk after it'd been polished.

Miss Walter's looks at him with concern, but he swallows hard, rubs at his eyes and the others have all written on theirs in pencil, so he does the same with his own. He fills out the front copying her name from the board. He opens the first page and writes addition, underlines it and writes the days date in the corner.

Over the summer, Finnick has had a School Preparation Tutor, to help him get a head start for the school year, his parents paid a fortune to buy him the best one, but like the other things in his life, his tutor left one day and he didn't see her again. He remembers what she taught him though.

Although Finnick doesn't stick his hand up to answer, any practice question, he knew all the answers and he confidently finishes the two pages of questions, without needing any counters to help him. He looks around and sees the other children, still working through the two pages.

He considers asking what he should do, but again his worried about standing out more. Instead he turns the page and continues. He's half way through page five when he notice Miss Walter stood over him watching him work. He's surprised and gives a little jump, startled at not noticing she'd left her desk.

"You look like you're doing well Finnick, do you mind, if I have a look at what you've done so far?" She said sounding impressed, he shakes his head and lets her take his work book. "You can find a book to read, from the quite reading corner, if you like while I mark what you've done."

His class mates eyes follow him as he pushes his chair back, making a scraping noise on the floor, he winces at it and stands. He holds his arms stiffly as he walks down the row, and to the reading corner of the room. He sighs with disappointment, most the books are ones he read ages ago or just too easy to read to entertain him. He picks one, all the same and takes it back to his seat; he pretends to read, while Miss Walter marks his work.

She spends a few minutes marking his work, and then stamps his book; she fetches it back to him. "Excellent Finnick, carry on from where you left off." He nods and closes the book he wasn't really reading. He looks through what his teacher has marked; he has tick next to all of his sums and an excellent stamp on the bottom of the last page he finished. It makes him smile to know he's doing well.

When math class has finished and the books and counters have all been collected back his teacher stands up again. "It's time for a spelling test; I'll hand out a sheet of lined paper to all of you." Finnick's stomach lurches, he wasn't at school last week, he didn't have chance to learn any words. His teacher gives out the lined paper, she stops at his desk. "Don't worry Finnick, you weren't here last week, so just do as well as you can," She said.

He feels a little better and less pressured, knowing he's not expected to do as well as the others. He still wants to give it his all and get at least some right. He's good at reading and he pays attention to the words written in books, he sits sounding them out sometimes and tries to memorise one's that interest him. He can already spell some long words; he hopes it'll help him out.

"No talking everyone, and don't cheat, I'll be keeping an eye, on all of you," She said and follows it up with a list of five words, leaving a few minutes gap, to give them time to spell each word. "OK that's the last one, pencils down, I'm going to collect you papers, please get a reading book and read quietly."

Finnick's quietly confident about his spelling, he's pretty certain, he spelt everyone right. He looks up from his book, to find she's handing the test paper back out. She gives his back with a smile "Well done Finnick, five out of five." He has to read it himself to believe it, "Yes!" He shouts out loud seeing his second excellent stamp of the day.

She gives Finnick a spelling book, so he can write the next list, of five words, for next Mondays test, looking through them he sees that he knows them all ready, the class practice the words and sounds together. He's sure he could get another five right, when he does the next test.

The bell signals the start of recess, "Anyone who got full marks can come and help themselves, to a candy from my jar," She said taking a jar from her desk drawer. As they all stand up for break time. He goes to the desk, he's followed by a few others, "Thank you Miss Walters," he said as she opens the jar. "Take two Finnick, since you did so well, without even having had the list to learn. I hope you'll do just as well next week." "I'll try my best Miss." He said reaching into the jar and pulling out a jelly snake and a pear drop.

He goes to get his bag to put his pencil case, and books in. He puts it back on his peg and takes his coat, it turned wind and cold in the last few days, he puts it on and zips it all the way up to his chin, with his two sweets held firmly in his hand.

When he gets out of the class room, he runs excitedly down the corridor and out the doors into the yard. He's glad to be getting some fresh air. He stretches his jelly snake by pulling it with two hands, big careful not to snap it, he knows there isn't more of it to eat, but he likes the trick of it or it looking longer.

Once he's stretched it enough, he holds it above his head and drops, the lime flavoured candy into his mouth and chews it and swallows. The pear drop is his favourite. It's covered in sugar and if he sucks it, it'll last longer than the snake.

Finnick puts it into his mouth and rolls it round with his tongue, to spread the flavour, through the whole of his mouth. His mother told him not to run with candy in his mouth, so that he doesn't choke. He's convinced she worries too much; Finnick buries his hands in his pockets for warmth and walks around the playground.

He spots the other first graders, and decides he better try and make friends. They see him walking over. "Can I play?" He said pushing the sweet to the side of his mouth, so that he can speak better, when he's close enough for them to hear. He crunches his pear drop to finish it faster, just in case they agree. He waits while his class mates decide; they huddle together and leave him on the outside. "No weird, fancy clothes boy, you can't play with us."

He shrugs his shoulders, like it doesn't matter to him either way. Finnick wants to finish his pear drop, so he sits by the school fence, watching his classmate play, one of the girls who gets tagged has trouble catching any of the others form their class, he smiles to himself as he come up with a plan.

She chases one of the boys past him, he doesn't like to be cruel, but sometimes it's necessary to get attention. He swallows the last of the pear drop and stands up, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Hey girl, you're so slow, I bet you couldn't even tag me, and I'm not even running!" As he thought the girl rises to the bait, she changes direction and charges at him. He pretends to be shocked by it and stands still, faking a worried look. "Tag you're it!" She yelled before running away from him.

Now he's successfully conned his way into the game, he hopes he can win their respect and maybe some friends. He looks around taking in the other kids and sizing them up. When he was sat down watching, he made a note of the fastest and the slowest kids in the group. Instead of going for an easy target, he plans to take out the fastest boy and the ring leader.

He throws the ring leader of his scent, by purposefully, going after a couple of the others, but intentionally missing them. The ring leader lets his guard drop and slows down. Finnick fakes going after the girl closest to him, then quickly changes and grabs the boy by the arm. "Tag you're it!" Finnick yelled, to gasps of wonder from his class mates.

Some of them clap, "he's never been tagged before," the slowest girl said in shock and awe. The ring leader makes a mistake by aiming for Finnick first, but he's ready and escapes with ease. After missing Finnick, he goes for the slowest girl. Finnick pulls her out of the way. "Follow me," he shouted to, she pay attention and does as he says.

"What's your name?" He asked hoping to make at least one friend. "Amara" she said reaching to shake his hand. Amara has dark skin and curly black hair. Boys and girls don't normally play together, but he'll take one friend over none. After that she has a tendency to follow him.

When the game stops, the other kids come up to greet him. "I'm Jett," "Lee," "Cody," "Ashley," and "Bethany." "Not bad new kid, but you dress funny," Jett the leader of the group said. Finnick catches his breath, "It's not my fault, my mom made me, I told her no one dresses like this. I'm coming in my jeans and T-shirt tomorrow," He said. "Well, I'm going to call you bowtie anyway," Jett said. Finnick just rolls his eyes and decides to accept in if it means having friends.

His school day goes easier, after having made friends with some of the other children. He enjoys his classes until Lunch and even volunteers to answer some questions in class when asked. By the time the Lunch bell rings, he's glad. Finnick follows his new group of friends. Jett and Amara are his favourites in the group.

The Lunch queue is long as he joins it with Jett, the smell of food adds to his hunger, right now he'd eat almost anything. Finnick pick up a try and passes a second to Jett. He reads the menu board and has a good look at the meals being served, for the day. It's not the most appealing food he's ever seen, "Can I have pizza and fries" he said. Choosing what looks the most edible, from a bad lot of choice.

Lunch tray at Alan Jefferson have separate compartments, the lunch lady puts his pizza and fries on his tray and he moves over to get, a bag of fruit and a bottle of orange. His pizza is greasy and mostly cold, but he eats it and his limp fries, unsure how good his tea will be when he gets home, but he predicts that it will be a sandwich at best.

After lunch Finnick heads to the bathroom, he has a good idea. His bottle of orange squash was a small one, he drink it fast and has none left. There's a drinking fountain by the sinks, He turns it on and refills his bottle, so he can have more to drink. When he's filled it up, he holds his mouth over the stream to get a drink.

In the afternoon they have craft making and music lesson, which Finnick loves. They make and decorate pen holders. Finnick loves singing and playing his tambourine, His Monday afternoon feels more like fun than school.

Finnick has so much fun he almost forgets, the all the bad things he's been through for a while. He starts to feel normal again, and like everything might just end up all right. The bell rings for home time, not long after his teacher hands out some sheets of homework, for them to do. Finnick's as excited as the other kids for home time.

His teacher looks at him as he packs his everything into his bag. "Finnick can I have a word?" "Yes Miss." He replied although he'd rather be running out of the class with his friends. "You've done really well, on your first day. I hope you've enjoyed it. I just wanted to let you know tomorrow and Friday, you have physical education, you need shorts and a t-shirt for tomorrow and swimming shorts for Friday and trainers if you have them. I already told your mom but I thought I'd tell you too." "Thank you Miss, I'll bring something." He said eager now to be on his way.

"You also have to collect, your sister from next door, just go through the car park, to the tiny tots building. Your mom said you'd done it before but, asked me to remind you, she called to leave a message with receptionist before going out to work." "Thank you Miss I will, I enjoyed today and I can't wait for tomorrow," he said when he has everything he needs his teach walks him to the car park. Finnick doesn't see her, watching to make sure he gets there safely.

The tiny tot's day care is brighter and much more colorful inside. He goes up to the front desk, "excuse me Miss, I'm Finnick Richardson, I'm here to collect my sister Breeze Richardson." He said there's more than one receptionist who works there in the week and he doesn't know the name of today's receptionist. "OK, if you got to room three and knock on the door and tell Allison, who you are and who you've come to collect, then she'll get your sister ready to go home." "Thank you," he said being polite, he already knows which room she's in.

Door the has a picture of a train on it, he knocks and waits, after repeating what he said to the receptionist. He waits outside for Breeze to be brought out to him. "Finn-Finn" she yelled with joy at the sight of him, she wraps her arms round his legs and squeezes him tight. "Look what I made." She said holding a sheet of paper out to him.

Breeze has drawn a picture, "great, what is it?" confused by the splodges and colours "It's us silly, mom, you me and dad." He squints harder at the picture, not really seeing any of them. "Oh yeah, now I see it, it's wonderful." He said not wanting to disappoint her. "Can I put it in my bag until we get home? She nods

He puts her picture in his bag and zips it, then puts it back over one shoulder. "Off we go home." He said brightly taking her hand. He watches the traffic and listens carefully, before crossing any roads. He'd like to just run home, but Breeze can't go as fast as him, and he's worried they could both get hurt on the way home, if he tries to run.

Progress is slow, with Finnick needing to take extra time with Breeze. "Finn-Finn, my legs hurt, I'm thirsty and I'm hungry. "We're nearly home now, Bo just a bit longer," He said trying to keep her going, when they're just under halfway home. "No" she cries, pulling her hand out of his.

She sits down on the side walk "I'm staying here," She said angrily. "Fine, but you'll be all alone; I'm going to keep walking, see you," He said, hoping that she'll get up and continue to follow him. She doesn't, he goes back to her, not wanting to leave her alone to far away from him.

"Please get up Breeze." She shakes her head mutinously; he tries to think of a way to get her up again. He take off his back pack and gets out the juice bottle he refiled with water. You can have some of my water if you want. She smiles now holding out her hands for it, he opens it and gives her a drink. "Do you think you can go a bit further now?" He asked as she gives it back to him.

Breeze nods "Yep Fin-Fin, don't leave me OK?" "I won't, if you try and walk some more." She takes his hand and the walks again. He thinks he might have taken a wrong turn somewhere, or maybe he's just not used to the way back himself yet, he doesn't want to alarm his sister. So he carries on like he knows of the way.

A few minutes more and Breeze starts to cry. "My feet _hurt."_ She's sobbing this time and Finnick certain water won't get her moving again, he wishes that he'd kept one of his sweets to encourage her but he didn't. "Finnick pick me up." She said raising her arms.

He could maybe carry her, a short way, if he stopped every now and then, but he worries that if he is, lost they could have a way to go. He can't think of a way out of the situation. "OK one minute." Finnick adjusts his back pack, so it's on both shoulders. Before lifting his sister, he might be tall for his age, but his sister isn't light.

"Wrap your legs around me and your arms around my neck." She does as he said. It's not easy for him to walk and see where he's going and he has to keep stopping and putting her down so he can rest himself. With luck it turns out, that they come out form his 'wrong turn' one road over, from his street. He puts her down one last time, then picks her up to cross the road, on to the corner where the women work.

"Please tell me, you can make it up the stairs." He said out of breath and with aching back, legs and arms. "I'll race, you," Breeze said. He couldn't run if he tried, but he knows even inside, he has to watch her closely. He tries his best to keep her in sight, as he follows behind. "I win!" she shouted, touching her hand their front door. "Good for you." He said findinghis breath and the door key on the chain his mom gave to him.

He doesn't like the old sofa, but he's grateful to sit on it and rest. He puts the TV on and finds the afternoon kids show for his sister. He looks through his bag and takes out his homework sheets. He can't do his homework sat on the sofa, so he sits at the table they eat at and dose his three separate homework sheets, he reads his spellings without needing to sound them out, he can already spell them, so he doesn't spend too long on them.

With Breeze being hungry he goes to the fridge, to find food, he finds a magnet keeping a list in place, Written in his mother's hand writing. List of chores: 1 Feed yourself and your sister tea. (There's food for sandwiches in the fridge and bread on the counter.) 2 Do the laundry 3 get your sister and yourself ready for bed by 7pm If I'm not back. (Shower, clean teeth and get into bed) 6 Do any homework, from school, when you have the time. Love Mom.

He's done his homework, so he' crosses it off the list. Finnick opens the fridge to find the food for sandwiches, a packet of baloney some cheese squares, lettuce tomatoes and mustard. He's never made a sandwich by himself before but he's seen other people do it. In one trip between the fridge and the counter, he carries as many of the ingredients as he can, but he has to go back a second time to get the last of what he needs.

He takes out two plastic plates and two cups. He fills the cups with water and sets them on the table. He takes four slices of bread, for the packet and spreads margarine on them; he adds a slice of boloney. "Breeze, do you want, tomato lettuce and mustard on you sandwich?" She runs over to see what he's doing. "Yes Finn-Finn," She said. "OK, sit at the table, I'm nearly done." He adds two lettuces leafs', the hardest part is slicing the tomato; he puts it onto the sandwiches and spread mustard onto the top slices of bread. Then puts them on top of each sandwich, he cuts them in half as well as he can and puts them onto two clean plates.

"Here you are Bo, baloney sandwich with lettuce, tomato and mustard." She claps as he puts the plate in front of her. "Thank you Finn-Finn." They talk about school and day care, Finnick's relieved to hear that she enjoys day care, after her first few days. He cleans the plates and the knife he used for making the sandwiches. "OK Breeze, you watch TV, I'm going to do the laundry and get post." She runs off to sit back in front of the TV.

Finnick studies the back of the box of powder, and the softener and combined conditioner. He reads the words not for children. But decides he has little choice, his mom told him to do it, even though he's unsure he should. He puts the powder and liquid softener into it the basket with the washing, to take it downstairs. His clothes really need washing, he decides to take a shower then add his to the tub.

He has to work hardest at getting his bowtie off, Finnck manages to pull it round his neck so that the bow is at the back, he fiddles with the buttons until he manages to get it undone. He showers and dries. Then changes into his PJ and slippers; he rubs his hair as dry as he can.

"I'm going to leave the door unlocked, but don't go anywhere OK I'll be back soon." She nods he picks up the washing tub, carries it to the door, put it down opens the door and then drags it out, into the hallway. He manages to get it down into the basement. There were no instructions for how to wash clothes, he stare at the washing machine, waiting for a plan to come to him.

He hears footsteps coming down to the laundry room; he freezes like a scared animal that's strayed out onto a road. The door open and a woman walks in, wih her own basket of washing. He recognizes her, as one of the ones that works on the street corner. She smiles at him "What are you doing down here?" she asked inquisitively. "Mom asked me to do the washing, but I don't know how." The Lady sighs.

"My name's Ashley," she said holding out her skinny arm to him. He was told not to talk to the ladies on the street corner, but he assumes it'll be all right, if talking to her helps him to get the washing done. "My names Finnick, can you help me?" "I guess so; I am here to do my own washing, after all. So why not."

Ashley shows him how to make sure, the clothes are machine washable, she also teaches him that, some can't be tumble dried. Once she's they load up the washing machine, Ashley opens the drawer where the powder and softener goes. "One cap liquid and one scoop powder." She said "Make sure you put them in the right drawer section. Do you have a colour catcher?" She said as she closes it, Finnick frowns; she picks out a box from her own laundry.

"The colors run, when the clothes get wet, these sheets trap the colour, so the clothes don't get stained." She puts one in her own washing and one in Finnick's shuts the doors and shows him the dials and which buttons to press to start them. "Whatever you do, don't leave your washing, people round here will steal anything, if it aint nailed down."

He's curious about her work; his mom wouldn't answer questions, so he decides to ask Ashley instead. "What do you do, when the men pick you up in the car?" He said. She leans against the washing machine, considering his question. "What do you think I do?" She asked in return "I think you give lost men, directions home, you're very helpful. My mom said you don't, but she would tell me what she thought." He said Ashley laughs "Well you're very smart, I do give directions and I'm the best in town," She said with a smile. "But don't tell your mom that you're right, I get the impression she doesn't like me, the few times I've seen her, so don't tell her we talked." She ruffles his hair like many adults do.

"There's something else you should know too. Don't hang around in your pajamas, especially not around, the man who lives across form you, don't accept sweets of him or go into his apartment, whatever he tells you or asks, for your own good stay away. I'll make sure you get back to your apartment safe today." Ashley's warning makes him shiver; he wonders why the man across from him is so bad.

When the clothes have been washed and dried, she helps him put them in the in the plastic tub with handle. He follows her upstairs; they go single file, so that there's room for both of them to walk. "I live on the floor below you, on the opposite side, the middle apartment, if you need anything and I'm in, just knock on my door, I'll try and help you," Ashley said. Finnick's mom might not like her, but he does. "Thank you" he said. Before closing his apartment door and leaving Ashley to go back downstairs. He puts the clean washing in his mom's room.

That night he has a terrible struggle to get his sister ready for bed, she won't let him help to shower her, because he's a boy and he's not allowed 'to see girls with no clothes." In the end he shuts his eyes while she uses soap, then she turns to face away from him while he does his best to wash her hair. By the time he's finished, sort of dried her hair and gotten her into her bed it's minutes before his mom comes home.

"Finnick, are you still up? Sorry I'm late I went to my friends after work," She's not angry, he's up just surprised ."Sorry mom, Bo wasn't happy with me helping her to shower, because I'm a boy, I only just got her to bed." His mom sits on the sofa looking tired. "Oh well, I'll talk to her and tell her she has to let you help, how was school?" He sits on the sofa next to his mom. "It's was fun, I'm ahead with math and I got my spelling right, even though I wasn't there to learn them last week." He said proudly.

"Good Finnick, I think it's time you went to bed too, my shift hours might be a bit odd and I might need to pick up extra where I can. My boss said that one day a week you and Breeze, can come and have tea at the dinner free. Do you think you could bring her across the road one night?" Finnick nods "Yes mom." She helps him get into bed and kisses him good night; the she lightly kisses his sister. Finnick falls into an exhausted sleep.

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**Sorry for the wait, I hope you all like the new chapter and don't mind, it's later up than I wanted it to be.**

**I got a little side tracked playing the new Sims 4, Finnick and Peeta are having an awesome bromance (bro is a new trait.). Katniss is gloomy and upsets Annie.**


	4. Wavy Haired Girl

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger games

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**Wavy Haired Girl**

Today's the day the training wheels are taken off for the first time. Annie stands by watching excitedly as her dad removes the second. She waits nervously as he holds it up to her. "There you go sweetie, now you can try and ride to the corner by yourself."

Recently Annie celebrated her sixth birthday; On September second it's been a big year for her, she started kindergarten, at the same elementary her older brother attends. Right now she's happy that she's at school just like her big brother.

In years to come, when Annie's old enough to realize, that had she been born half an hour earlier she would have been born on September first. She would have been eligible for kindergarten the previous year, and would now be in first grade.

For now though she's too young, too understand and not old enough to be angry about the matter. Today she's blissfully unaware and only concerned with the removal of, the training wheel form her birthday present bike; she's ridden it many times with the training wheels on. She wants to ride to the park with her brother and play with his friends, but he won't take her with the training wheels on and her parents won't let her go, until she can ride better.

Her dad takes the break off and holds the bike steady; carefully she stretches one leg over, trying not to kick her dad by accident. She sits on the seat and focuses on the end of the road. "You're all set, now, go slow and keep away from the edge of the side walk, so you don't fall into, the road if you come off it." Annie smiles up at him and get ready to sit on the bike.

"Ok I'll hold on while you start off, then I'll let go." She nods and smiles but feels butterfly's in her belly, Annie starts to push her feet on the pedals. He holds her steady and walks with her, she speeds up until he has to run, and then let's go of the bike.

She manages fine, until she gets about halfway, then she starts to wobble, the bike goes one way and she falls to the side walk close to the road. Her dads with her quickly though, he kept up close to the back of the bike in case she fell. Her dad helps her up "Are you all right?" He asked her. Her safety gear protected her form the fall, but she cries because she almost, but didn't make it. "Never mind, we'll give it another go, before tea." She nods and smiles at him.

It isn't second or third time lucky for Annie, she falls both times, and ironically her first attempt would be as far as she would get that day. The other two times she wouldn't make it quite as far. Annie's dad calls her brother in whose riding his bike confidently nearby and takes her back into their apartment after getting a call, form their mom to tell them tea's ready.

Annie and her family are lucky, they aren't greatly rich but her parents managed to rent a decent apartment, in a middle class area Clayton. They live on floor three with a large living room, with kitchen dinner. The living area is a decent size and the kitchen dinner has room for a small table. It's only real low point for Annie is that she has to share her bedroom with her brother, until they get a bigger place.

She gets on quite well with Taylor, and right now she quite likes being able to wake him up if anything scares or bothers her. Annie takes her seat at the round table, between her dad and her brother, with her mother across from her.

It's chicken and vegetables night, Annie still young enough, to enjoy pleasing her parents by eating all the vegetables on her plate; she eats them first to get them out of the way. She eats her chicken, as her dad talks.

"-If the plans for the new estate go through, by the time Annie's old enough to need her own room, we could be living in one. Those of us involved in building the homes in the new estate, would get a good discount on purchasing one, it'd be better to buy a house like the kind I've seen the plans for, than rush and get something smaller sooner."

Annie's dad is a builder, he works for a company that sometimes, does projects, in neighbouring states, sometimes they ask builders form one state to volunteer to work in another, if the job requires more workers. Annie and Taylor have only lived in the one state, where he's had the most work so far. But if company her dad works for secure the housing estate contract it'll mean the family moving.

Her parents have had a lot of talks about houses recently, Annie's mom isn't keen on her children sharing a room, she wants a new house soon, but her dad wants to wait for something special. "I don't mind sharing with Ty a bit longer." Her mom looks unconvinced. "I suppose we could wait a little longer and see, if the building company gets the go ahead, but we really need to buy a place and not rent, to have something to call our own."

Annie finishes her tea and waits for her ice cream to be served, Vanilla ice cream, with crumbled up chocolate flake, and fudge sauce, with wafer, in her pink plastic sundae cup. She gets into a sticky mess with sauce and chocolate on her face, Taylor Laughs at her. "You still get in such a mess, little sister," he said rolling his eyes at her.

After tea Annie's allowed to watch TV a while, or play a board game. Tonight though she wants to read the book, she fetched home from kindergarten. "Mommy, can I read you Rabbit Run?" As well as playing with toys at kindergarten, she does basic reading and words and some math too. Annie likes the reading but not the math.

"Come on then, let me hear you read." Her mom pats the space next to her on the sofa. Annie climbs up, and gets comfortable before opening the book and starting to read, using her finger to point to each word. "Rabbit likes to run." She turns the page "Rabbit runs down the hill." She goes through the whole book, pronouncing her words carefully and sounding out any that give her difficulty. Her mom claps when she reaches the end. "Excellent, you'll be smarter than Taylor soon."

Annie smiles, she can't wait to be better at something, than her brother, and then she can laugh at him. They watch TV until her mom gets up. "Right Annie, bath time then bed, you have school tomorrow and need your beauty sleep."

She follows her mom into the bathroom, her mom locks the door. Annie undresses while her mom runs the bath. The bath is only small and neither of her parents uses it, preferring to shower instead, Annie however is still small enough to fit in nicely and she loves bubbles.

When the bath is full of flower scented bubbled her mom lifts her in, so she doesn't fall and give her some bath toys to play with, a duck, a boat and a mermaid. Annie plays and talks to her toys and enjoys the soothing warm water. "OK that enough toys for now, let me wash your hair, you have so much of it, we really should get it cut," her mom said. "No, I want long pretty mermaid hair," She said pressing her hands to her hair.

Annie's hair is dark chestnut brown and is so long, it stops halfway down her back. Some of the other girls in kindergarten are already teasing her and pulling it. Her dad told her they were only jealous, and not to pay any attention to them. Her neighbors often refer to her as the wavy haired girl, because of it.

Once her hair and body are washed, she's allowed to play a bit longer until the water starts to cool. Annie doesn't like it, when the water goes cold, so she always tells the truth and gets helped out before it gets too cold. She stands up and lets her mom wrap a towel round her and lift her out.

She shivers and helps to dry herself, so she can get warm faster. Annie puts her wet towel in the bathroom washing basket and her mom helps her to put her bathrobe on. "We're going in the bed room, to dry Annie's hair and put her pyjamas on, so don't come in Ty, until I tell you, you can." Her mom always says the same thing to Taylor every night, so he doesn't forget and walk in on them.

Anyone who looked, at the shared bedroom, would think that it was very confused. Her brothers half is in a complete state disarray, but Annie likes to keep things clean, so half of the room has toys and cars on the floor and the other, is neat with books on the small book shelf and toys stored in the toy box at the end of her bed. Annie loves her toy box, her dad made it just for her. He's good at woodwork and he made it in his friend's work shed.

Her brother has his favorite superhero bedspread, and Annie has a mermaid princess bed spread. The carpet and blinds are what her parents like to call 'neutral' but Annie prefers to call them boring. She sits on her bed patiently; while her mom blow dries her hair "Oww" she said, every now and then her mom snags the hairbrush, in her hair. "Annie if we cut your hair a bit, this wouldn't hurt so much."

When finally Annie's mom calls it quits, after brushing through and mostly drying her Annie's hair. She helps her do the buttons on her pajama top, she has to wear the kind with pants, or the kind with shorts and short sleeved T-shirt in good weather, her mom doesn't like her wearing just a nightdress, while she shares with her brother. Annie doesn't get what the big problem is but she goes with it all the same.

This time her mom picks out a book and reads to her, then gives her a kiss and leaves her to sleep. Annie barely registers her brother enter the room, as he gets into his own bed, She already curled up half asleep with her soft cat.

Annie doesn't yet care what she looks like, as long as she can play and she has food and snack. She's generally easy to please and entertain. As with most mornings, she's first up, she sneaks out of her room, even though her snoring brother always sleeps heavily.

There's nothing she like on the cartoon channel, at such an early time, so she flicks though to the wildlife channel and puts an a documentary about monkey's. She not so much into taking in the facts about the monkey's and their habitats, but more interested in laughing at their behavior and noting how cute they are. She wonders if she could convince her parents to get her a pet monkey, for Christmas.

Once Annie started at school, her mother took up a job as a classroom assistant. She's able to take them both to school and Annie can still sometimes see her during the day. Her parents are up just as the monkey documentary finishes.

They coordinate efforts, to make sure everyone is up showered, fed and has the necessary school items packed in there school bags, along with lunch bags and drinks. School mornings are crazy mornings.

Annie's mom drives them to school, and parks in the staff parking lot. Her brother shoves the door open and runs off to find his friends. "Have a good day," her mother yelled, to Taylor as he disappears into a crowd of school children.

Her mother always walks her into the kindergarten class. She kisses her mom good bye, before putting her bag and coat in her cubby hole. Annie greets her friends, Gemma, Emma and Danielle, but stays away from Ashley, the mean girl who pulls her hair.

She plays outside with them on the jungle gym, until Mr Sutton calls them inside. In the morning's they learn the alphabet, play words games and have math games.

Annie is the best at words games and hates math. They have first recess after Math class, she loves being outside, playing, running and riding the bike with the training wheels. They only have two bikes though and the others normally fight over them, Annie prefers chase and skipping.

Before lunch they have crafts and solo playtime, where they can play with board games, cars or read in the quite area. They stop for Lunch and afternoon recess. Annie's quite a happy and popular girl, who largely gets on with most of the other children, in kindergarten.

Story and nap time follows Lunch recess, Annie hates it almost as much, as math, they have colored mats and blankets to lie on, in the quiet reading corner. "Nap time children," Mr Sutton said as her finished playing a lullaby, on his guitar. Annie pulls her cover up and pretends to sleep.

In the afternoon, Annie takes her turn being the carer, for the class hamster fluffy. It'll be her turn to take him home, for the weekend and to write a sentence about it, in the class book. Annie wants a pet of her own, but living in the apartment they aren't allowed. The landlord did agree that Annie could fetch the classroom hamster home, every now and then because it was for school, as long as it doesn't get loose and they clean up after it.

After final story time, the parents arrive back, for home time. Annie's given Fluffy's book with the photographs and sentences, written by the other children, it so far only has a couple of pages written on and now it's her turn. "Oh it's Annie's turn, to take him this week, I'd almost forgotten," her mother said with a hint of nerves. "We best get him home and settled in," She said.

They wait in her mom's car for Taylor to arrive. He climbs into the back. "You got the hamster, awesome." What did your class call him?" "Fluffy" she answered quietly. Knowing it'd make her brother laugh and it does. "Haha.. fluffy, poor thing." "I didn't want to call him fluffy, I voted for smudge, cos he's got a smudge of coloured fur over one ear," she said pointing too it. The other girls voted for fluffy though and there are more girls than boys in my class," she said indignantly.

Her family have early tea on Tuesday and Friday, because they have swimming classes. It's the one thing she love, more than school. She's just as good at swimming, as her older brother, although he pretends to be better than her. They have a quick tea and her mom gets their swimming bags out, and packs them with clean clothes, swimming costume and towels.

Her mom puts her hair up in a bun, because even in a ponytail, it's still long and difficult for her to swim with. "OK, the kids have everything, have fun children," her mom said to her dad, as they leave, with him. She stays home because she can 'get more things done', with an empty house.

Swim classes last one hour, although Annie's one of the youngest in the group, she's also one of the best. She's only six but can already swim twenty five meters, like her brother Taylor. They're both practicing for their fifty meters.

She likes competing with her brother and hopes her better concentration, will lead to her being given the opportunity, to try for the badge at the same time as him. Whereas Taylor likes to concentrate on being the fastest, Annie concentrates hard on getting the techniques right. She already does the front crawl and the backstroke better than him.

The hour swim class ends, the teacher blows the final whistle. "Everyone out of the pool, if I call your name, you'll be swimming for your next badge." Annie crosses her fingers behind her back and Taylor does the same close to her, he smirks at her and points to himself.

"Annie Cresta, Bob Davies –"She's surprised when her brothers isn't called. He looks shocked. "What about me? Why wasn't picked?" He asked disbelieving. "I'm sorry Taylor, but you need to work more on your technique. Maybe you'll be in the next group, if you try hard enough," He gives her a sad smile. "Good luck Annie, I hope you do it," he said patting her on the shoulder and catching up with the kids that weren't chosen.

The others all have their turn before Annie, and manage to complete, the distances they had been working towards,all of them are practicing for different lengths. She's the last to go, She's glad it's only her and the swimming instructor, so no one will see if she fails.

"OK Annie lets go to the deep end of the pool, you can sit on the end and slide in, it's all the way down to the shallow end and back." She sits on the end and sides in, she holds on to the wall "OK, Annie off you go."

Annie starts her swim; the first lap is easy enough, coming back her arms and legs start to tire, she's only a few meters from the end and she doesn't want, to be the only one not to achieve her goal. Annie decides to risk put on a burst of speed, in the hopes it gets her to the end. She stays focused on the wall as she gets ever closer, she reaches out her arm and touches the wall.

She's tired but thrilled. "Well done, Annie you did well. Get changed and I'll see you in the foyer with the others, don't run though." Annie couldn't run if she tried, she still catching her breath as she returns to the changing room.

Normally she'd have a good shower after finishing, but she so tried, she keeps it to a quick rinse and gets out, so she can sit down and rest. Annie tries not to take too long changing, but she's slower than normal.

All of them, that completed the swimming distance, get their badge and certificate in the foyer, in front of the waiting parents and family. She's the last out of the changing room. "Thank you all for being patient, now I'll hand out the badges." Each of the children step forwards and collect, their certificate and badge as their names are called. "Annie Cresta, congratulation on achieving your fifty meters badge." She steps forward, shakes hands with her swimming teacher and takes her certificate. Her family are stood at the front clapping for her.

She returns them smiling sheepishly, she can tell Taylor's upset, but she knows it won't be long before they're both swimming the same distance again, he won't let her beat him for long. "You did great, can I see it?" She lets him take the certificate with attached badge. "I'm starving hungry; can we get some more food before we go home?" She said to her parents.

"Since you did so well, I think you can have a treat," her dad replied. They stop off at a drive through. Annie and her brother indulge in burger meals and milkshakes. In the five minutes it takes them to get home, Annie's finished hers off and starts to steal her brothers fries. "Annie stop, you ate yours," he said moaning. "Think of it, as your gift to your favorite and_ only_ sister."

Annie's allowed to stay up a little later, on Friday and at weekends, but she's so tried, form swimming that, she has a shower and goes straight to bed. She's almost in bed when she realizes she hasn't fed Fluffy, she get back up and checks his food and water dish. She gives him a bit more of the hamster food, to make sure he'll definitely have enough.

Uncharacteristically she's the last up on Saturday morning. "God morning lazy bones, I though you weren't ever getting up. If you'd have stayed in bed until I'd finished breakfast, I was going to chuck a cup of cold water on you," he said looking a little sad, that she got up just in time.

She accidentally, on purpose knocks into him pushing him forwards in the chair. "Mom, Annie's being mean, did you see that?" "You started it, threatening to chuck water on me!" She shouted back "OK, kids enough. If you want to go to the park later, stop squabbling, or I'll ground the pair of you." It works, in as much as they stop, yelling at each other, but they do continue to give each other nasty looks and Taylor even pulls her hair when neither of their parents are looking at them. She elbows him in return.

When every ones dressed, for the autumn weather and the expected rain showers, they head out to the park. Annie loves the autumn weather and the dry leaves, which fall from tree, in reds, yellows and brown colors. She collects some to do a leaf rubbing picture, with her crayons later.

It rains steadily while they're out; she and Taylor play the jump in the puddles game and their dad fetched a ball, so they could kick it about on the green grass, its wet through and their wellies make squelching sounds as the run for the ball. They both end up covered in mud, as their parents watch on.

"OK, I think your muddy enough now and it looks like the heavens will open any minute. We'll pick up some DVD's and popcorn on the way home, for a movie marathon." Annie doesn't like to stay inside but as long as the movies are good she doesn't mind.

Annie's parents let her and Taylor pick one each, to stop arguments and they pick one for when the kids have gone to bed in the evening. After some protests from Taylor, he finally gives up and lets her pick, the mermaid cartoon movie she wants, and he picks a superhero movie.

They get some microwaveable popcorn and drive home, as an autumn storm starts, Annie loves to watch the raindrops, on the car window rolling into each other and she's glad she's in the car safe from the wet weather, the rain turns into a thunderstorm as her dad parks in the apartment resident's only car park.

"Get ready, to get out of the car, and run into the apartment building," her mom said. "One..two..three!" She and Taylor open their doors and get out and slam them shut, then race to the apartment building, followed behind by their parents.

After hanging up their wet coats and taking off their muddy wellies, she and Taylor settle down, on the long sofa, whilst their mom makes the warm popcorn. "Who wants hot coco?" Her dad called from the kitchen. "Me!" They both shouted back.

Their parents bring the hot coco and two bowls full of warm popcorn and then sit down, to watch the movies, there's a small argument over which they watch first, but it's quickly solved by ip dip doo, Taylor's choice wins.

Annie doesn't think the superhero film is bad, but she much prefers her own choice, the Second Mermaid Princess movie. She can't wait to tell her friends at kindergarten and to re-enact, her favorite bits.

When the movie marathon has finished, her dad helps her to clean out Fluffy's cage. Once they done she gets him to take a picture, of her sat on the floor, with fluffy in his hamster ball. She holds her swimming certificate, up at her chest for the photo and her dad helps her to write in the book. 'Fluffy gave me luck, to pass my swimming test.' "I'll get the picture printed off and you can stick, it in the book for Monday," he said taking his camera and putting it away.

Saturday in the Cresta house is also special tea night. One of her parents drives to Mick's Dinner. Her mom doesn't like going to it, because it's in 'the wrong side of town,' officially called Morton. Annie once heard her dad call it Crack Town. Her mom slapped him across the head for it.

With the wrong side of town being so rough, her mom's afraid to go there alone, she always insists on their dad going with her. So that someone can stay in the car, whilst the other gets food. The drive doesn't take long, so instead of leaving the children with a friend, they all get into the car and go together.

"It's mac and cheese night everyone, you know what that means, in the car, let's go and get back before it gets too dark." Annie loves going to the wrong side of town. She's amazed at how the homes and buildings go from being modern and quite clean, to being covered graffiti, run down, shuttered and ruined. Annie's never seen so much graffiti outside of Morton.

Her mom drives onto the highway, not far from their home and comes off by the first exit, onto the main road through wrong side of town. Constant sirens can be heard and there are groups of people loitering around. "Look out for the dodgy people, but don't make eye contact with them, we don't want to be murdered or something," her mom said.

Annie's never seen anyone with a happy face in Morton. The few faces Annie sees around her don't have smile or anything close to them, grim would adequately describe Morton's inhabitants. "Mom why aren't the people here happy?" She asked after realizing, that everyone looks the same. "Happy Annie? Of course they aren't happy, if you lived around here, would you be happy?"

She looks round at the homes and buildings. "No" she replied quietly. Even the buildings looks sad and abused. Never mind the people living in the homes and on the streets. Her mom parks up, in the diner parking lot, but leave the engine running. "OK hurry up, get the food quick and come back, Jim if your gone too long, the car tires will have been slashed, or we'll get robbed around here."

A boy not much older than Annie comes out of the diner, with a little girl. He comes through the parking lot, holding her hand and stands on the side walk, just in front of their car. He watches the main road, busy with cars and chews his lip.

Annie sees a flash of green from his eyes, as he turns his head, watching the cars. She thinks she imagined the color of them, no one she's ever seen has eye's that color. He picks the girl up, whilst her dad pats his coat trying to locate his wallet. "Oh dear lord, he's going to try and get across the road, with that girl. Quick Jim get out the car and help him, for god's sake or they be hit by a car."

Her dad stops looking for his wallet and gets out; he goes over to the boy and has a quick conversation with him. Her dad picks up the little girl, when the road is clear, he carries the girl across the road and the boy follows quickly at her dad's side.

It's cold and raining again, but the boy and the girl aren't dressed warmly enough for the weather. She wonders why, they aren't wearing, sweaters hats and scarfs. The little girl has a black jacket that was too big for her and the boy, was outside in just a T-shirt, jeans and an old pair of trainers.

"Those poor kids have no life," her mom said shaking her head watching sadly. Her dad waits to cross the road again, to return to the diner. "Why don't they have a life?" Annie asked interested, about how two living children, could not have lives. Her brother next to her is busily engaged in his hand held games device, with his head phones on, not paying any attention to their conversation.

"The people round here have nothing, bad schools, bad homes. The best any child round here can hope for, is to live long enough to see, their eighteenth birthday. Even if they get that far, that poor boy and girl are likely to end up as part of a gang, in prison, addicts or thieves. It's a poor area and few, if any ever get to college and have good jobs. Most end up, on the wrong side of the law. Even if the boy and girl are nice children now, living in an area as bad as this corrupts them, they lose hope and turn bad eventually," her mom said sadly.

Annie doesn't want to believe that it's true, that living in a bad area can make you bad. She watches at the point they crossed the road, but can no longer see them. She wonders what kind of life they must have here and hopes their futures won't be as bad as her mom predicts.

Here dad gets back into the car, with two foil trays with cardboard lids. He puts them on his lap, closes the door and puts his seat belt back on. Her mom's already driving as his seat belt clicks in. "Were the boy and girl all right?" Annie asked hoping her dad, could ensure they were safe.

"They were as safe as they could be, they looked thin dirty and cold, but that's no surprise in this area," her dad said. "They were brother and sister, the boy was so cold and his teeth chattered so badly. I think he said his name was Finland..or something like that, his sister was called Bo. I helped them across the street; they lived a little further down the road. I was going to see them to their apartment, but the boy insisted he could manage, from that side of the road. I think he said his mom was a waitress at the dinner."

"Hippies, their parents are probably hippies, who think they are living the bohemian life out here. It's no good for the kids though. I'd rather live in a motel than in one of these," her mom said. Annie always feels sad for others. The rest of the car ride home she worries for the boy and his sister, she images them getting arrested or killed in one hundred different ways.

It isn't until she gets home and indulges, in the warm mac and cheese that she starts to feel better. Over the next few days, Annie will forget all about the boy and his sister. Not due to lack of kindness, but because, young children have so many other things to occupy their minds and interests.

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**Thank you for reading; I guess you all know who the boy and his sister were. ;)**


	5. Iron Bands

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

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**Iron Bands**

Finnick's been living in his new home now for almost two months and although he likes it no better, he no longer dreams of going back to the home he once knew. He's accepted that, the life he once lived has finished and gone.

Breeze turned three, just a few weeks ago, it broke Finnick's heart that all she got was, a craft project he made at school and a cupcake from their mother. She said she'd buy Breeze a better gift later but it never came.

To keep Finnick form thinking of the troubles, that worry him, money, his mom's lack, attention to her appearance and her new habit for medication and smelly stuff she smokes, she gets from a man in the park and the fact she cries a lot and still thinks they'll be going back to live in a mansion in a year or so. Finnick's thrown himself into his school education, he's determined to have a good job and help his mom, pay bills as soon as he can.

His mom used to smoke, when they lived in their old home, only then she'd do it when she thought no one cloud see. But Finnick knew because he'd she her sometimes form places when he was sat playing, or is he looked out his window sometimes, she'd be in the garden thinking no one knew.

There is one issue with school, which causes him to worry slightly. They've school have asked his mom to attend a parent teacher conference, his class aren't due to have there's until mid-year. It only slightly worries him though, because he can't think of anything he might have done wrong. He had a fight with an older boy, but that was a week ago and the older boy started it.

"Honestly Finnick, I've had to change my shifts for this," his mom said. Lighting one of her recently rolled cigarettes, that make Finnick cough and wheeze. A coughing bout takes him, for a good few minutes bringing tears to his eyes. "We don't have time for you to stand their coughing; we have to get to school soon." Finnick wipes the tears away that came to his eyes with his coughing.

"Wait I can't take this with me..shit," His mom said more to herself than to Finnick and Breeze. As she put her cigarette out on a small plate. "You cause me no end of trouble; I swear you're in for it, if you've caused any trouble." She's not well dressed and she hasn't put any make-up, which concerns Finnick a great deal, in a way it probably wouldn't bother most children, it's just another sign that his mom's struggling on her own, despite Finnick's attempts to help her, with anything he can.

"Mom you haven't put your face on." He said trying to be helpful, hoping she might have just forgotten. "Shut up, do you think, anyone round here cares about that? We can either go to your school for the parent teacher thing, or I can do my face which is it?" She snapped at him angrily, ever since his mother started smoking her cigarettes, she had increasing mood swings and she's even hit Finnick twice.

"We'll go," He said. Knowing his school, would be angry if his mother failed to attend. And that in turn could make her angry at him. His mother still doesn't have the stroller, she promised to buy, so she still carrying Breeze some of the way. In the days Finnick has to walk her, when his mom works, he's able now, to stop off at his friend's house, roughly half-way between school and their home, which he's grateful for, today though he gets a day off.

They sit outside, the principals room much, after his mother knocks on his door, for some reason unknown to Finnick, they're having the parent teacher conference there. Miss Walters walks in to the waiting area. "Hello Finnick, Hello Mrs Richardson, don't look so glum dear, there's nothing to worry about." Finnick hadn't realized he looked concerned, he tries to smile at her.

She knocks on the principals door now and pokes her head round, when he shouts enter. She leans back out. "Right we can go in now," She said smiling at Finnick. He enters last trailing behind them. There are three seats this time, one for his teacher, his mother and for Finnick. He takes the last one left next to his mom.

"Thank you, for coming here today, I understand, it's difficult for you, to find time being a single parent. Right down to the reason you were called here. After Finnick's assessment with the Educational Psychologist-"The Principal said speaking directly to Finnick Mom. "Wait what?" She said looking confused. Finnick leans in closer to her and whispered. "Mom, you signed the letter, agreeing last week after your late shift." "Oh OK, sorry for the interruption please carry on."

Finnick had almost forgotten that himself, with his worry about the meeting being for a bad reason. The Principal clears his throat. "As I was saying, after Finnick's assessment, she suggested that we skip Finnick a grade ahead and after, reading her full recommendations both I and Miss Walters agree."

His mom looks pleased for the first time that morning. "I knew Finnick was very intelligent, but I didn't think he was_ that_ bright." "We'd like your permission to advance him into second grade; we can facilitate the move today, if you agree." His mother sits staring open mouthed. "That's all well and good, but what if he struggles? What will happen then?"

He rests his elbows on the desk and laces his fingers together. "If The Educational Psychologist didn't think him capable, she wouldn't have recommended this course of action. However If Finnick does struggle, we can simply place him back in grade one." Finnick sees the look of consideration on his moms face. "Well if you think its best, Finnick do you want, to be moved into grade two?" All eyes turn to him.

Finnick thinks carefully, he likes his new friends in grade one, but grade one and two, have recess in the same outside area, so he could still, play with them, If he advances a grade. He'll be able to help his mom sooner. "Yes, I'd like too, I enjoy Miss Walter's class, but the work is very easy." The Principal nods "That's settled then, I just need you, Mrs Richardson to sign a document saying that you agree to the move. Then Finnick will be placed in Mr Richard's class. Miss Walters will take him form here. "Congratulation Finnick Richardson and good luck in grade two." His mom signs the necessary form, they all shake hands.

His mom leaves the school straight after, the end of the meeting with only saying a quiet goodbye to Finnick. "I've enjoyed teaching you Finnick, even though it's only been a short time, don't forget to say hello, when you see me round school. Mr Richards is a good teacher, I think you'll like him," Mis Walter said before shaking his hand and leaving him outside, his new grade to classroom.

Tentatively Finnick knocks on the door. "Come in." He opens the door and walks in. "Ah Finnick, I was told to expect you, welcome to second grade, I'll be your teacher for the rest of the year. Please sit at the desk at the front closest to the window, there's a little room at the back for your coat and bag like, the first grade one, Miss Walters will bring your name card." Again Finnick chooses a peg without someone else's name on to hang his coat and returns to his seat.

By the end of the day, he likes grade two better, in the sense that the work, isn't as easy and it requires him more effort to keep up, but he doesn't like the way, his new class mates, call him geek and nerd. No of them would play with him at recess but his friends form first grade were glad to see him and to still play with him.

When he gets back home with Breeze, things aren't much better. Their apartment still smells of what his moms smoke and it immediately starts him coughing again, it isn't regular cigarette smoke, even he's learned the difference in the two smells. His eyes water and he finds it difficult to breath, it takes him minutes to get his breath back. He knows he shouldn't but he leaves the front door open, to let the smoke out because the windows won't open.

Breeze and Finnick have a routine, she watches TV while he does his homework. Finnick has trouble concentrating in the smoky atmosphere. He decides to do the chores, putting out the garbage, checking the post and the laundry. He gets out or the smoky room but on the negative side he has to close the door to keep his sister safe, every night after school, he gets back and has to do chores even when his mom's home, he doesn't mind though because they give him a reason to be out of the apartment.

He returns and makes their sandwiches, which is what they eat every night, except for the one night when they, have tea at Mick's Dinner and milkshakes, their mom comes in as they finish eating their potato chips. The first thing she does is light a cigarette, which sends Finnick coughing; he chokes slightly on his potato chip. "For god sake Finnick, if you're going to cough like that go outside and get some air." He abandons the rest of his chips. "Come on Bo lets go outside," he said taking her hand. She prefers to be with him than their mom.

Finnick puts his school work into his bag, along with some of her toys. Finnick puts his coat onto Breeeze, she grown out of her own, and their mom hasn't yet, bought her a replacement coat. Most of the clothing that his mom, fetched with them was summer clothing. They used to get new clothing each season, so they only had summer clothes in their closets.

He takes Breeze downstairs and outside, a fine drizzle of rain falls, Finnick debates taking his sister to the park, but he doesn't feel up to the walk, he's convinced he's coming down with a cold or something, that's making his chest worse. They stand just outside their building, in the end Finnick take her to play around in the parking lot of Mick's Dinner.

Once across the road, they head around the back, to where the bins are, because it's a bit more sheltered from the rain. Still within minutes, he's wet through and Breeze complains of being cold. "Finnick I think we should go back home," She said shivering. Finnick shivers himself. "I guess we could." They haven't been out long at all, he doesn't really want to go back, but he sees no other option. "OK home it is."

He carries her back across the road and into their building. He has his foot on the first step upstairs, he all most crashes into Breeze, who likes to be put down, so she can run up the stairs, as he makes a quick turn. "I have a better idea; let's go to the laundry room." He doesn't know why he didn't consider it sooner, the hot water pipes run through there, sometimes it's too hot. The laundry room is often quiet, he rarely sees anyone in there, so it would be a good place for them to go to get warm.

"Come on Bo." He said taking his sisters hand; she's scared of going into the basement, laundry room. "See this is better, we'll be warm here and out of the way." He takes his coat off his sister and puts it on to himself; he crouches by the hot water pipe and gets Breeze to do the same, "we'll be warm soon." He said rubbing his hands together.

They play with her toys a while, then he gets his homework back out and continues, keeping an eye on her. He concentrates much better and manages to get it all finished. "Bo let's not tell anyone we come here to play, it can be our secret place, our hide out." "Yeah, ours and no one else's." She said as they get ready to leave. He hears footsteps coming down, Finnick grabs Breeze and pulls her into the corner with, he presses a finger to his lip, to tell her to be quiet, and she nods.

The footsteps getting closer as thy get nearer are heavy. The man from the apartment across form theirs enters, Finnick gulps and watches. He was told to stay away from him, so he waits. The man form across the hallway looks about his dad's age, he does his washing. Finnick decided it's best to let him finish and leave before they go back upstairs.

He looks over from his washing machine, Finnick can't tell, if they've been spotted or not, but the man doesn't say anything or approach, so he considers them to be safe and unseen. Finnick gives the man a few minutes before; he leaves with Breeze and returns to their own apartment, they don't see the man form across the hall.

After a week in second grade Finnick excelling academically, but due to the cold weather and his worsening cough, he tends to stay mostly in the warm library, than playing out with the others, he found a nice quiet spot on a table near the radiators, where he can work undisturbed. The old lady who runs the library likes him and often lets him take out a couple more books than he should have.

He's getting changed for his Wednesday morning PE. His chest feels much worse, but his mom insisted he still go to school. Finnick thought he'd be better out of the smelly smoky apartment too, his chest still rattles after dropping his sister off at day care. He's worried, but he doesn't want to be the weak one of the class, so he doesn't mention it to his teacher and hopes it'll pass, like it always has done before.

"I want all of you to do five warm up runs, from one side of the sport hall to the other. Let's go," his teacher blows the whistle. They all set off running, the longer length, of the rectangular sports hall. Halfway through Finnick's first length, he knows he's in trouble; his lung crackle and wheeze, he tries desperately to take in more air, but it's like his lungs just don't have room for anymore. "Come on Finnick, it's not like you to be so far back, put some effort in." His teacher shouts.

Finnick tries to respond and pick up the pace, but he can't his lugs feel like they're being tightly constricted, by iron bands or a boa constrictor that won't let go, dark spots dance in front of his eyes, the room swims and his legs give in and he collapses to the floor. He hears gasps and shouting form somewhere close to him as he fights to breathe.

He comes to; he's picked up by his sports teacher who runs to the nurse's office, while Finnick continues to fight for breath. "Finnick do you have asthma? The nurse asked, he shrugs the best he can, since he can't get enough air to verbally answer. She picks up the phone on her desk and calls for an ambulance, while his sports teacher watches over him. Finnicks hands and feet tingle and feel numb, his hands curl inward.

Time seems like time slows down to Finnick, so he's unsure how long it takes the paramedics to arrive, he blackout again several times. "Finnick, can I listen to your chest?" One of them asks he nods weakly feeling more light headed and closer to collapse again; he's helped to sit forward, whilst they listen to the front of his chest and his back. A monitor is clipped to his finger.

"Finnick, I'm going to give you some special medicine, in a mask it makes a noise but it won't hurt, it'll help you to breathe better." The mask does make a noise, a hissing noise like a permanently angry cat, but Finnick's less afraid of it, than not breathing. He lets them put it on over his head and he tries to breathe in as much as he can. They clip a monitor to his finger. "We're going to have to take him to the hospital; someone will need to come with him and his parents need informing," the other paramedic said. "Right Finnick we're going to take you for a ride in the ambulance OK?" Finnick nods just wanting to be better.

"Finnick you've got asthma, and you're having a bad asthma attack, but we're going to look after you, once you're well enough, I'll have you taken to a ward upstairs, you'll have to stay in a while." Finnick nods again.

His mom arrives "Finnick, are you OK?" What happened to my son?" She asked as she burst through the curtains. His doctor takes her back outside, Finnick hears their voices, and then she comes back to him. "Oh my poorly boy, don't worry, you'll be better soon." She said kissing his head and holding his hand.

Once his breathing his eased and he no longer needs the mask, he's taken upstairs on the trolley. To children's ward seven and put in the bed right at in the corner at the bottom if the ward. His Doctor goes through a list of questions when Finnick can talk better. His mom helps to answer the though not entirely truthfully, "-and do you smoke?" The doctor asked his mom. "No I don't," his mom said lying with ease, but the doctor looks unconvinced and can probably smell, the smell of smoke on her.

"Can I have a quiet word?" His mom asked his doctor "Of course," He replied. They walk out of the ward and are gone a few minutes. She comes back looking frustrated; she sits heavily in the chair by Finnicks bed. "You have to get as well as you can fast, we don't have much money, and this is going to cost a _fortune_, we haven't had medical insurance in some time, it seems your dad stopped paying it a while back." Her earlier concern is gone and has been replaced by something colder, it makes Finnick shiver. "I'll get well as soon as I can." He's not sure how long it'll take, he doesn't want to cause issues for his mom, but he can't speed up his recovery either.

"Right I'm going, to have to leave you, I have things to be doing, get well quickly," She said sharply. His mom leaves without, kissing him or hugging him goodbye. He's partially relived that she's gone. He given steroid tablets and made to have another nebuliser each hour, the medicine in to makes his hands shake. He presses his call button and waits for the nurse "Can you help me get ready for bed please?" He'd normally manage alone, but his asthma attack his left him feeling weak and tired and the medicine has left him shaky.

"Sure, do you have everything you need for the bathroom?" The one good thing his mom did, was to fetch him his wash bag, with essentials, Finnick nods and takes his wash bag from the cabinet, by his bed. The nurse helps him to have a bath, dry himself and to puts on a clean hospital gown. He manages to clean his own teeth, she helps him back to bed and tucks him in. "There you go I'll close the curtains, so that you can rest." She, turns off his lamp and leaves him alone.

Next morning he's fetched work, from his school and two get well soon cards, from grade one and two. "I'm sorry I can't stay long," Miss Walter's said. "I live the closest to the hospital, so I was asked to bring these to you, I also brought you this gift, sorry it's in birthday paper, It's all I had, on short notice. The gift isn't not much, but I'm sure it'll cheer you up," Finnick is amused, by the birthday paper and rips it off. Inside is a bag of treat sized candy bars and a puzzle book. "Thank you Miss Walters." "It's fine Finnick, as I said I'm sorry I can't stay longer, I hope you'll be back at school soon. Now is there anything you need before I go?" "No, thank you Miss Walters." "OK, bye Finnick and see you soon." She gives him a small wave as she leaves.

Finnick gets started on his work, between taking his medicines, he spends all morning working coughing and wheezing. He's glad the doctors and nurses are never far away, when he needs them. Shortly after tea time, his mom returns with Breeze. His sister runs up the ward to his bed and their mom follows looking less than pleased.

"Finn-Finn," His sister yelled climbing onto his bed. "Bo, I'm glad to see you," He gives his sister a big hug. His smile slips from his face as his mom sits by his bed. "She wouldn't stop crying until I brought her to see you," she said giving Finnick an 'it's your fault look.' He feels no better, than yesterday, he's near certain, he won't get out tomorrow or any day soon. Finnick doesn't want his mom to ask so he plays with his sister, until they have to go home. Finnick sneaks her some of his candy bars.

He's in longer than he would like. His mom and sister only visit the one time, the two weeks he's in hospital, over the days the last week, his doctor gets his lungs sounding clearer and tries him an a few different types of inhaler, to find the ones that works best for him.

"Right Finnick, I think you can go home this afternoon, you're lungs are much stronger and you've got two inhalers, to prevent more attacks, I'm going to call your mom and let her know she can pick up this afternoon," Finnick smiles at him. "Thank you doctor."

When his doctor leaves, Finnick packs his school bag and makes to thank you cards, with his felt tip pens, one for his doctor and one for the nurses that have looked after him for the time, he's been in. He writes 'Thank you for saving my life and making me well again.' And finishes by signing his name.

He has his tea in the small canteen, with the other children, for what he hopes, will be the last time in a long time. He eats everything and finishes his Jell-O. "Good boy Finnick, I guess you've just got to wait for your mom to come now," said the nurse, who is helping to give out tea.

Its early evening by the time, his mom comes to get him with Breeze. "Finn-Finn your all better, his sister said running up to him, he gets off the bed to greet her. "Yes I'm coming home now," he said hugging her, he checks again to make sure, his inhalers are safely tucked away in his pocket. "Let's get you home, you've been in here long enough," his mom said. Finnick puts on his coat and feels bad to be wearing it instead of Breeze. "I just want to give my doctor and the nurses their thank you cards," his mom rolls his eyes. "Fine but be quick."

He walks up the nurse's station. "Thank you for taking care of me, I'm going home now, I made you a card and one for my doctor, can you please make sure, he gets it?" "Yes Finnick I'll pass it on for you, he's busy right now though." "OK tell him I said goodbye and thank you!"

They wave to him as he leaves the children's department; Finnick's unprepared for the cold as he leaves, inside it was constantly warm, so it feels much colder to him outside. "I parked as close as I could." It's a few minutes' walk to the car, then a long ride home.

He runs up the stairs of the apartment building, happy that he feels better and is able to breath, deeply again. When he gets in he finds the apartment a mess, it looks like neither the washing or the dishes have been done, since he went to the hospital.

"I left you some things to do, since I know who much, you like to help round the house." Finnick's gobsmacked and can't believe the state of his home. He becomes convinced his mom is punishing him for being ill. "I need to sit down, I've had a hard day, you can do the clean when you're ready" Cleaning up wasn't what he hoped to do when he first got home, but it seems he'll have no choice.

It takes him a while, to get through, the dirt clothes and dishes; he also has to resort to his inhaler twice, whilst cleaning up. "I hope it'll be a while before you decide to get sick again, I can't afford, to pay for this stay in hospital and we might end up moving again. I thought about leaving you and going off with your sister, but I need help round the house so you got lucky," she said seriously, with no hint of a joke. He's just glad Breeze didn't hear what she said.

"I'm going to bed," He said. Wanting to be away from his mom, he'd run away and leave her, but decides against it for his sister's sake, he doesn't want to leave her alone with his mom and he knows he wouldn't get far trying to take Breeze with him.

He cries himself to sleep, wanting his mom to love him again, and hating himself for getting sick. He falls asleep long after their neighbors quit arguing. Finnick wakes up wishing he was still in the hospital, where the adults cared for him and wanted him to be well.

He gets up early he has one day off before he's back at school, he'd much rather be there than with his mom. Finnick spends the day playing alone until his mom brings Breeze back from day care. He takes her to the laundry room, away from their mom. He shows her his new inhalers and explains them to her. "They aren't toys though, and if I drop them and you find them, you have to give the back to me quick in case I get sick." "I will big brother I'll take care of you." She said hugging his legs.

Finnick guesses he's one of the few relived children in the country, when Monday comes back around and he's able to return to his school and too lessons. His mom helps him take Breeze to day care, so that he doesn't end up straight back in the hospital, but she's less than thrilled doing it.

They get to Breezes day care, with little time before his school bell goes. He has to run to make to his class in time, he un-caps his blue inhaler, puts it in his mouth and presses the button once, breathing in deep and easing the tightness in his lungs form his run. He opens the door and walks in.

"Finnick, it's good to have you, back again, I wasn't aware you'd be with us today." "I feel much better and I wanted to come back so I don't fall behind." "OK, take your seat, let me know if you feel unwell and need assistance." "Yes Mr Richards." He enjoys his first morning back and doesn't feel like he's too far behind. At recess he stays in not just to keep out of the cold, but form his new fear of another asthma attack.

He's had his library books too long, he's worried he'll face a penalty for their late return, He takes them straight back, to the library "I'm sorry they're late, I wasn't able to bring them back." He said worrying "Don't worry Finnick, I extended, the length of time you could have them, I was told you weren't well. I hope your better now." "Yes, very much, thank you." Relief floods through him and he wonders why he ever worried at all, he's always been on good terms with the librarian.

Finnick gives back the books; he no longer needs, and then scours the library for others of interest. He can't take as many as he'd like, because it'll weigh him down on his way home. He quietly reads as many of the ones he can't take before the bell sounds for the end of recess.

He enjoys his first day back and is, pleased with the work he does. He expects to have to do chores when he gets home, along with his own homework and taking care of Breeze. He takes her down to the laundry room, with him again, where it's less smoky and they have more room. He and Breeze are both in their beds by the time his mom returns home.

* * *

Days later the Cresta's sit down for a family meeting, round their small table, they all listen eagerly, awaiting, the family news. Their dad stands up "As you're all aware, I've been waiting for news, on the new potential building site. I'm pleased to announce that today, the go ahead has been given for the new housing estate this Summer. What that means is we'll be able to move closer to grandma and granddad and once I finished helping to build the homes, we'll be given a discount on the price and the choice, for which fixtures and fitting are included in the house, there's also the possibility of a pool but that all depends on what type of house we go for and the cost."

Annie cheers and her mom gets up and hugs him, Taylor just looks shocked. "It'll be great for us," her mom said with tears of joy in her eyes. "I'm a little hesitant of changing the children's schools, but the one's close to the new estate, are just as good as the one's around here, so I'm sure it'll work out for the best in the end." Annie's thrilled at the prospects of moving closer to her grandparent's and to being closer to the beach.

Before Annie and her family have their tea, she and Taylor go to the local park without their bikes. She can't yet ride well enough to get there, on her bike, but she's steadily improving. "What's up Ty? You don't seem so happy, is it about moving?" She asked wanting to do whatever, she can to make him feel better.

"It's all right for you, I have lots of friends, I don't want to leave them." She goes to give him a hug but he pulls away. "Taylor, you'll be off to Middle School in a few years, and not all of you would be going to the same one any way,_ and_ we can have a bigger house, with more room to play and maybe even a pool. Don't you want your own bedroom and a pool?" "I guess so, I'm just going to miss my other friends that's all." She smiles sadly at him, she'll miss some of her friends too, but the thought of moving to a better home makes her happy. "Everything will be all right, you'll see and you make friends really easily, so it won't be long before you have lots again. I promise it'll be all right." She doesn't know how she knows, but she's sure she'll be proved right in the end.

That night Annie goes to sleep hopeful, that her life will soon be even better, with her own room in a bigger house closer to, her grandparents. She dreams of her new home, with her own room painted in her favorite color, which looks out into a pool in the back garden.

* * *

**Thank you for continuing to read my fic. Please follow/favorite/review if you like it. **


	6. Across the Hallway

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger games

* * *

**Across the Hallway**

Finnick's mom works the early shift two days a week, so he can attend the swimming club after school, on the agreement he walks himself home later, he's just finished his hour lesson and was left in need of his inhaler, he could quit, to reduce the risk of another attack, but he won't he loves swimming and it's one of the few things, that brings happy memories, of his life before his dad's death.

Its dark out, he doesn't really like having to try and get home on his own, with older teenagers and gangs coming out onto the streets. Finnick walks fast but doesn't run, his lungs are tired from his swim and he knows running could, send him into a full blown asthma attack. Dark clouds cover the moon, making the evening darker still.

The wind blows through his wet, cold hair making him colder and even his coat doesn't seem enough to keep out the chill. He wraps his arms around himself and rubs his hands up and down the tops of his arms, trying to produce some heat, but his fingers feel like ice. He alternately hugs his body and attempts to blow hot air form his mouth into his cupped hands to warm them, because he has no gloves, scarf or hat, Finnick would appreciate any one of those items.

He tries to pick his pace up a little, and hums a song, he sang in music class, to try and make him feel better, crossing the road so he doesn't have to go near, a group of fighting possibly drunk or drugged teens. He's glad when he rounds the corner of the street where he lives. "Hi Finnick, its cold out tonight isn't it?" Ashley said from her spot on the street corner, where she waits for men, to give directions to, or so Finnick still believes. "It is isn't it? Keep up the good work," he admires how hard she works. But never considers why Ashley or any other the other women, only ever assist men.

Finnick puts his key into the door of his apartment and turns it, he pushes the door handle down and his nose is assaulted by the acrid smell, of his mom's cigarettes. He splutters and coughs and reaches for his inhaler, taking a deep easing puff of its medicine.

His mom is sleeping and snoring loudly on the sofa, something she once, would never have considered, but now does all too often. He opens the bedroom door, to check if Breeze is in there and finds her sleeping, his mom puts her to bed early on the nights he swims. Breeze sleeps despite the loud arguments that coming form the next doors apartment. He shuts it again and goes to make his own dinner, like all but one night a week he has a sandwich, the only difference to this one, is it's made with one cheeses slice and no salad; he eats it with a cup of cold water from the tap, bland and uninteresting but better then what he gets if his moms, struggling for money, he sometime only gets one meal a day at school.

The list of chores he was once left, he no longer needs. He knows all too well what he must do, he washes up the plates and cups and takes the laundry down, to the laundry room, he sits on the floor waiting for the washing machine to finish while dong his school work, he takes a break only to move it all to the dryer and then continues. After all the clothes are dried he stays to complete his homework in the peace and smoke free room.

Finnick is always relived to reach his bed on a Friday, he doesn't wake her or even whisper good night to his mom. He just gets into his own bed after using the bathroom, and falls asleep to the sound of something smashing in the neighbor's apartment.

Saturday is a working day for him mom, she has different days off each month, or gets called in if they need more staff, she's gone before Finnick and Breeze get up for breakfast, they eat the last of the cereal, Finnick realizes, this Saturday will be shopping Saturday.

Ashley's always a good enough to help Finnick and doesn't mind occasionally looking after Breeze, if he needs a break or has a lot of homework; he takes her down to Ashley, when he knows she'll be up. Usually Ashley is very nice to him and his sister, but she can be a bit bad tempered if woken to soon after she's been working.

Finnick walks to the supermarket, they first shopped in, it's always quite quiet, he takes a hand basket and heads towards the aisles. After an incident, when he lost some of the money, his mom gave him, he's always made sure he zips it up in his inside pocket of his leather coat. He ignores most of the aisles and gets only food for sandwiches and breakfast paying attention to prices.

Once he's gotten what the really need, he goes to the toy section and allows himself to dream, imagining what he'd buy if he had the money. He stops in front of the toy set he really wants, a doctor's kit, with stethoscope, prescription pad name badge, a bottle of pretend medicine, stamp for the prescription pad, and a thermometer with a white doctor's dress up coat. He looks at it longingly knowing he'll never have it.

He always respected doctors, but since his asthma attack and how the doctors and nurses saved his life, it's become his dream to one day, to be a doctor too. Finnick started reading more biology related books, in the school library and trying his best to learn the names of body parts and how to spell them correctly. He sure that all doctors must be really intelligent so he's trying to do the best he can to learn about biology.

If he could only get just one present for his sister for Christmas, he'd be happy, just to see her smile and to know, that she didn't think Santa had forgotten her, would be the best gift he could have. He looks at all the toy he thinks she'd like and sighs sadly, he can't afford any of them and all he can do is look, he'll be lucky if he manages to make her another, craft gift.

Finnick walks onwards and heads to the checkouts, to pay for his shopping. He doesn't go straight for Breeze though, when he gets home, he loves her, but caring for her more than his own mom does tires him out. Instead he unpacks the shopping and finds his favorite medical program on TV, the kind that shows real doctors and medical procedures, not just reconstructions. Breeze hates the blood and insides, but Finnick is intrigued and isn't put off.

When his show finishes, he locks up while he goes, to get Breeze back from Ashley's. "Thank you for looking after her," He said. He'd like to pay her for her help, but he barely had enough, for the shopping. "No problem, take care you two and I'll see you both again, sometime soon," she said, sometimes Ashley feels more like a mother to him than his own does he feels sad and guilty, that he seems to like her more.

It's time for Lunch when they get back, so Finnick takes out, the food he bought earlier and makes them both a sandwich. As he cleans up later, he finds a letter in the, bin it's not screwed up just folded in half, he assumes it fell in by accident and wasn't supposed to be in there, so he takes it out. Curiosity gets the better of him so he un-folds it and reads, it's an unpaid bill for his hospital visit, the cost of his five days and treatment horrifies him. He takes it out thinking him mom intends to pay the bill once she saved up. He puts it on the counter top.

His moms back form work later than normal, "Finnick you're in, I thought you'd be out playing," she said seemingly surprised to see him. "No, its cold out and Bo and me, we don't have warm enough clothes." She rolls her eyes at him. "It's always something with you," she muttered in response.

Breeze goes to play in their room so he decides, it's the best time to ask about the bill. He goes over to the kitchen counter to pick it up. "Fetch me something for an ash tray, while you're over there." He takes her the little bowl she uses along with the bill. "What's that you've got? I can't afford any school trips," She said presuming, that's what the letter is for, Finnick starts to think it'd have been best left in the bin.

His voice comes out almost a whisper and frightened. "It's the hospital bill, it must have fallen in the bin," he said giving it to her. His mom looks angry now, she puts down the cigarette she was rolling, with the stuff she bought form the man in the park.

She snaps at him, "Finnick we can't afford you illness, you'll be lucky if you get new inhales after you've used up those, I'm not made of money any more, if worst comes to worst we'll just have to move somewhere else, to god knows where." Her words come out venomous and stinging. He knows it's not a good idea to yell at his mom, but he's sick of doing everything round the house and being blamed for things that aren't his fault.

"Don't yell at me, if you didn't smoke those horrible things, my chest might not have gotten this bad. It wasn't my fault either-"His mom gets up and smacks him so hard, he hits the floor. "Don't you dare argue with me boy, I need my cigarettes, _you_ don't know anything. Get out of my face there's no tea for you," she screamed at him. He's lucky she doesn't realize he's already eaten.

Finnick gets up off the floor and goes to his room, Breeze looks close to tears as he enters. "Finn-Finn, what happened?" She asked concerned ."Don't worry, just a stupid argument that's all." He stays in his room with her for the rest of the night, reading his books, until it's time for bed.

Sunday is his mom's day off, and despite the cold and the lack of suitable clothing he goes out. She refuses him breakfast, but he doesn't care, she'll have to feed him sometime, if she doesn't he'll just steal what he wants from the fridge, or he'll see if Ashley has any he could have, even if it's just a bag of chips. He hangs round the streets and the quiet side alleyways. He doesn't feel like visiting friends. Finnick doesn't worry about Breeze, being with his mom all day, he and his mother might have their issues but she loves Breeze and wouldn't hurt her.

He goes back home around mid-day, he's really hungry and his stomach hurts from lack of food, He's grumpy and tried too, he stomps up each step back up to his apartment. As he lets himself in, he finds his mother pacing looking concerned. "Finnick there you are, I was so worried. I thought you might have run away. I'm sorry," she said bending down to him. "I was horrible to you earlier; I'm not used, to having to deal with finances. My parents took care of everything, then I had your dad to do it, now it all depends on me." She gives him a hug and kisses his cheek. "I'm_ sorry_ I was mean, but I've thought of a way to fix it now, but I need you to help me."

His mother looks at Breeze and she runs off into the bedroom. "Let's sit on the sofa and I'll explain." Finnick wants nothing more, than to fix the situation and make everything better. He sits on the sofa next to her, she nervously fidgets with her pants fabric instead of looking at him and when she talks, her words come out fast and he has trouble keeping up.

"Now that your dad has gone, you're the man of the house and men of the house help with _anything_ that needs doing. The chores you do so well, taking care of your sister and they also bring in _money_, to help pay bills, I need _you_ to help pay for _your_ time in hospital. I have a special thing sorted out, something _only_ you can do. Will you do it? The medical bills will be paid and everything will be fine again." She briefly meets his eyes but quick looks away, once she sees him nodding eagerly.

"You're such a good boy Finnick, I really shouldn't be so mean to you, you're always so helpful. I'll tell you what's going to happen." She looks at him to make sure he's on board. "Our neighbor, the one across the hallway, he needs someone to do a job for him, you just go over, do what he wants you to do, _whatever _he says, then he'll give you the money, to pay the doctor's bill and everything you be all right."

"I can do it mom, I'm good at helping out. Which neighbor across the hallway is it?" She looks sad but she quickly puts a forced smile on, she starts talking fast again. "It'll be fine, we've talked and agreed he won't _really _hurt you, he'll do something that might be strange to you and not really pleasant. It'll be like going to the demist or having blood taken, it isn't nice when it's happening but it's soon over, this will be sort of like that, something you don't want to do but is necessary," his mom said. Not sounding at all so convincing and not installing any confidence in him. "Whilst you're helping him, I'm going to take Breeze out; it's a long time since we've gone out together."

A lump the size of a small stone forms in Finnick throat, making it hard for him to swallow, as he comprehends what his mother is asking of him. "But I was told not to go near him at all, for anything." "Finnick it's just like I said. He's a nice man _really_ and eager to help us out, we've discussed this over the last few days and it's the only option that makes sense. Please Finnick, I don't want us to move again. There's _no_ other way really, he won't hurt you _honest_." His mom said he wanted to help, he tries to convince himself everything will be fine, his mom may not be so reliable, but surely she'd never make him do anything to bad.

"OK, when?" She stares at her feet. "I'll take you over now, best to get this over with." She stands up and Finnick gets up and walks after her. His legs seem to have forgotten how to work right, they feel heavy slow and uncoordinated. They walk across the hallway is only short, but it feels like a million steps. His mom knocks on the door.

Finnick stands awkwardly by her side, he's now the one staring at his feet and wondering, what his fate will be. The door opens and Finnick refuses to look up, at the man he knows opened it. "OK, you do only what you have too, and don't get violent with him," His mom said quietly and with urgency. "Please don't hurt him," she said one last time with desperation in her voice.

She bends down and tilts his face to look to look at her own. "Remember do as your told and be good, if you're done before I get home, the go back to our apartment." She hugs him and then leaves quickly. "Come in Finnick, make yourself at home," The man said.

He closes the door behind him, when he walks in, he can't help feeling trapped and afraid, like a fly in a spiders web. "OK Finnick why don't you sit on the sofa, watch TV or something." He doesn't feel safe; he sits on the sofa and takes in the apartment, to distract his thoughts. It's nicely furnished and he obviously makes more money than his mom does, but he's clearly not rich either, the sofa and television are fairly new, he also has the latest gaming station.

He looks back towards the door and for a fleeting moment considers, running out and leaving, but he has no idea where he'd go to. There's a knock at the door that makes Finnick jump. The man comes back, he presses one finger to his lips motioning for him to be quiet. Finnick couldn't make a sound if he tried, his mouth feels stuck.

The man has a quite conversation at the door, he comes back in baring a pizza box. Finnick can smell the spice form peperoni, his mouth water and his stomach rumbles reminding him, he hasn't eaten in so long. He puts the pizza box on the coffee table, there's a smaller box on top. "It's for you; I thought you might like something warm and filling. Your mom said you'd be hungry by now."

Despite his fears he opens the lid and breaths in the pizzas scent. It's a large one, "Pepperoni with extra cheese and stuffed cheese crust. I hope you like it." Finnick's already savagely tearing into a piece, smearing his face with tomato sauce. He could barely talk or swallow not long before, but hunger seems to have, won through enough for him to eat.

"Soda, I should get you something to drink, is cola OK?" Finnick nods' enjoying his hot pizza, a cold bottle is put by his pizza box, there's curly fries too, in the smaller box, everyone loves curly fries." Finnick stops eating and swallows, to take a big drink of the ice cold soda.

"Do you want some pizza, I don't think I can eat it all," Finnick said. "No thank you, I've eaten it's all for you, if there's any left over, you can take it home with you later. I'm going for a shower, eat as much as you like." He eats until he feels like he might throw up.

The man returns wet with a towel wrapped round his hips, Finnick eyes the computer games. "We can play a while if you like, bring a cushion, we'll sit on the floor." Finnick does as he's told, they play computer games for a while, he suspects the man let him win each time, part of him wants to believe, that he's not relay bad, that he might actually be a decent, misunderstood man. He can't shake the bad feeling though.

Finnick talks to stretch out time, guessing, that the man isn't paying, Finnicks mom so they can play computer games together. "Do you have a job? A name?" Finnick asked realizing he doesn't know either. "I work at the community center, it's not well paid, but it's a better job than some. My name is Rob." The man smiles at Finnick in a way that makes his skin crawl and just like that his fear returns, far greater than it was before.

"Let's go to my room, I want to play another game," Rob said with a second creepy smile, which makes Finnick feel sicker, than eating too much pizza. Rob wipes Finnick's face of sauce with a napkin, he takes Finnick's hand and leads him to his bedroom, he follows slowly again wanting to get away, back to his own apartment and safety.

The man talks but Finnick only hears, the sound of his own heart and rushing in his ears. He tugs at Finnicks clothes. He lets out a scream and the man, covers Finnick's mouth with his hand. Rob looks around like the walls or pictures might, attack or disapprove of the situation. "_You_ promised, to do as you're told, now don't scream, or I swear I _will _hurt you." The earlier friendliness the man had shown evaporates, replaced be a malicious and dangerous tone.

Finnick nods, he has no choice, this is clearly what his mom sent him over for. "_No_ more screaming." He allows him to remove his clothes and gets on the bed as instructed. Finnick lies staring at the ceiling, try to banish, the sensations on his skin as the man touches him. His eyes fill with silent tears they run down his cheeks and make his face wet, he shuts his eyes for as long as possible and only opens them when the man insists he should. He's not sure how long it take for what he does to end.

Once it's over and he's been given permission Finnick re-dresses himself. He's given a stuffed envelope. "You can go now, but remember to tell no one, what happened; they'll never believe you anyway and your mom will say I_ never_ hurt you, so people will just think you're lying," Finnick can scarcely nod. He feels wrong inside and out, he has no idea what happened to him, but everything about him now feels wrong, he just wants to be away from the man. He has no idea how, he'd even begin to try and explain what happened to him.

He doesn't remember leaving the man's apartment, or getting back to his, His skin feels so wrong, he holds his arms away from him, and he never wants to touch any part of his own body again, let alone allow someone else too. He wills himself to try and forget what the man did, but his brain is assaulted with images, words and actions his brian doesn't comprehend. He runs to the toilet and throws up, he throws up every bite of pizza and curly fire until his stomach is empty.

Finnick crumples to the floor drops the envelope and tears his clothes off, the crawls into the shower, pulls himself up the wall, and turns it on as hot as possible, as fast as possible. He curls up on the floor of the shower shudders uncontrollably and cries.

"Finnick get out of the shower, what do you think, you're doing? It's scorching hot, you'll peal your skin." He's unsure when his mom got back, he might have fallen asleep a while. She reaches over and turns the shower off. "Get out of there now." She pulls him out by his arm and lifts it so he has to stand or be dragged.

She grabs a towel and starts to dry him. Finnick screams and cries. "Don't touch me, don't touch me," he yelled trying to scratch and hit his mom. She ignores his weak attempts and easily stops him harming her. She manages to dry him. She wraps the towel round him and carries him to his room, she puts his pajamas on him. "Stop screaming Finnick, stay in your room and calm down. Where's the money? "Floor, bathroom," He said. When he finally calms, enough to make words leave his mouth.

He looks at his skin bright pink and blistered in places from the heat of the water, he's unsure if it hurts, he can't seem to feel anything but numbness, he scratches absent-mindedly at his exposed skin, creating red marks, on the inside of his arms to his wrist. Today he hate his mom more than any other day, in his life, surly should could have done something else other than sell him the neighbor. He'll never forgive her, for what she's put him through.

School Finnick's refugee, he didn't speak to his mom at all, before leaving and she wouldn't look at him or talk back to him, he tried his best to talk to Breeze on the usual trip to school, but he found words too hard to make.

He sits in the library and concentrates hard on his books, pushing out his memories of the previous evening, turning it all into a strange bad dream, until it no longer feels real. He's quiet in class and doesn't participate as much as he normally would. He hides in the library at recess, not wanting to talk to the other children or interact in anyway.

The bell rings for Lunch causing Finnick to jump. All the other kids get up and start to leave excitedly. "Finnick, can I have a word with you, when the others have left?" Mr Richards asked, he nods. Once the other children have left, he pulls his chair up to Finnick's desk.

"How are you Finnick? You don't seem your usual self today," he shrugs. "We have noisy neighbors, they shout and make a lot of noise, I didn't sleep so good last night." "OK, do you have warm enough clothes? Its winter and I've never seen you in a sweater. I know your family don't have a lot of money right now, but you _need_ better clothes, I'm going to have to talk to your mom, is she at work today or at home?" "She's working until later, she not at home right now." "I'll ring later around tea time if I can."

Finnick's troubled by the situation, he shrunk his sweater vests by accident, when he put them in the dryer by mistake. He's worried about what might be said to his mom, but there's nothing he can do except to go for his Lunch. When he reaches he finds himself in no mood for food, and skips it.

He retreats to his library space and the quiet, where he'll be left alone in peace and he can read or make an early start on his homework, he builds a wall of books around him, reading but not really taking in the words like he would normally.

He's unsettled for the remainder of the afternoon, his concentration slips, with his worry over the phone call his teacher wants to make. Finnick dreads the end of day bell and jumps at its sound. He picks up Breeze and stops of at Jett's on the way back home, to stretch out the time. Jett's mom gives them soda and cookies, Finnick's reluctant to leave when it comes time for them to be on their way again.

Once home he does the chores and his homework, they eat a few handfuls of cereal for tea. "Let's get an early night Bo, I'm tired." It's not entirely a lie, he is tired but he also wants to avoid his mom and the dreaded phone call, he gets himself and Breeze ready for bed and scares away the under the bed monsters for her, although he sometimes think his own mom and the neighbor across the hallway might be worse than anything under the bed.

Finnick tries to sleep; it's not just the noise of the neighbours keeping him awake, its fear. The front door opens. I_t won't be that bad, he'll just tell mom, I need some clothes for winter everything will be fine. _Even as he thinks it,he gets a sinking feeling inside and he doubts the voice in his head.

For a while there's not much sound, and only the smell from his moms pungent cigarettes, as time slips painfully by Finnick starts to hope, his teacher forgot the whole thing, just as he has that thought, the apartment phone rings. Finnick squeezes his eyes shut, as if doing so could keep the call from happening. "Please be someone else, don't be my teacher. Please," he whispered.

He can't hear more talking or yelling, he isn't sure if that's good news or bad. The bedroom door opens, Finnick pretends to sleep. "Finnick get up _now," _his mom whispers. But he can hear the anger and irritation in her voice.

"Don't make me tell you again get up _now_." This time she shakes him vigorously. He knows he can't fake sleep longer. He slowly sits rubbing his eyes. "What is it mom, I'm tired." She pulls his arm dragging him out of bed. He has to move fast to keep up.

His mom shuts the bedroom door. "What the hell have you brought on us, _now_? I've just had your teacher on the phone, demanding I buy you more clothes." Finnick feels sick and afraid. "I don't know _why _he called, I haven't said anything to him, and it's not my fault I don't have any sweaters to wear," he said. "It isn't my fault, you shrank them in the wash, you should have kept them and worn them anyway, instead of throwing them away!" She shouts not caring Breeze is in the other, he has no time to form a reply. "He's threatened the Child Protection Services on us, I have one week to get you more clothes or he's calling them in. We'll be split up Finnick, you'll _never _see me or Breeze again if_ they_ get involved, is that what you want? I'm going to have to come up with some way to sort this out now. I don't have money for more clothes. I barely managing to pay the rent and that's often later than it should be and the money form that man was for _your _medical bills _only_!"

She stops yelling and paces, he's just thank full she hasn't hit him yet. His mom lights another cigarette, then she turns her ferocious gaze on him. "Since _you've _gotten us into this mess, _you_ can get us out of it, you're going back across the hallway, I won't get as much this time but I should get enough for some cheap clothing."

Finnicks horrified that she could even consider, sending him back, she leaves the apartment with the door open and knocks on the door across the hallway. He answers, they have a conversation and he stay frozen where he's stood with fear.

His mom comes back "Get going then, we've only got a week to raise enough money, so you'll be doing this every night after school, you can add it to your list of chores." His mom was sad the first time she sent him to the neighbours, but this time she's nothing but a hard cold and callous, shell and no emotion for him it all.

She closes the apartment door, as soon as he's out of it, his neighbour stands in his doorway, waiting for him. Although he doesn't scream this time, he hates what he goes though just as much as the first time, he's given a scrunched dollar note, he doesn't check how much it is.

When he returns back home, his mom is sat watching the TV, he throws the money on the coffee table and returns to his room, she doesn't even acknowledge that he's back. He wills himself not to throw up again, he doesn't bother trying to push the memories away again.

Finnick crawls into his bed pulls the blanket over his head and cries. _It's my fault, everything is my fault, getting sick, the wrong clothes, my dad dying, moving house, it's all my fault, I deserve this. _He repeats in his head, he curls up and tucks his head towards his knees and scratches at his arms in self-hatred, for everything he thinks he's brought on himself.

For the rest of the week, he sent to the neighbor, he hardly speaks to his mom, he hates her for not thinking of another way for them to get by, he hates himself for causing so many problems, he tries his best not to get angry with Breeze and to just be grateful, that she doesn't have to go through what he does.

He's tempted to tell his teacher everything that's happened at home, with his mom and the neighbor, only the thought of being taken from his little sister stops him. But if ever his mom endangers Breeze, he won't care about the consequences; he'll do whatever it takes, to protect her, to stop her for having to do what he does.

* * *

**Thank you for reading, this is the chapter I most worried about posting, it's a very difficult one and I didn't want to go into too much detail, of the abuse Finnick went through, just coming up with the idea and writing this much was hard enough. **

**Please continue to follow or favorite and any and all reviews are welcome!**


	7. Bright Stars

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

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**Bright Stars**

The bell rings for end of day at Clayton Elementary, Annie however isn't going straight home. This evening, she has dance classes at the after school club. Her mom signed her up, to encourage her to be more lady like, since she spends lots of time with her brother and his friends.

Annie doesn't want to be more lady like, she's quite happy, the way she is. She grumbles under her breath, on her slow walk to the changing rooms, she pulls on her pink leotard, skirt and ballet pumps. Her mom did her hair in a bun this morning, but bits of her hair are now coming loose from it and hanging in front of her face.

She stomps into the dance class room. "Annie, you look lovely dear," Mrs Barton said. "Stand with the other for warm ups, we're going to have a great class today" Annie pastes on her smile but lacks enthusiasm for dance; she's easily the worst of all the kids.

The music starts and she tries hard to copy the other children. "Annie dear, try not to stomp and keep your eyes forward." She can't keep her eyes forward though, she needs to watch the feet or everyone else around her, Annie's teacher tries to smile encouragingly, but Annie's not stupid enough to miss the frustration in it for her.

As the lesson progresses, they change to practising the routine, for their Christmas Show, all the parents will be watching, the thought makes Annie Ill, she's already considering fake illness to get her out of it. She takes her place at the end of the back row, she was originally placed in the middle of the back row, but after several crashes with other girls, she was moved to the end of it instead.

"OK we'll be practising, our routine for the rest of the lesson, everyone, try really hard and remember, pretty hands and pretty feet." She quite obviously directs the last part at Annie. Annie takes a deep breath and prepares of the start of the bright stars dance. Her class will all be dressed as stars and dancing to some star related music, composed by the schools music teacher.

Annie tries hard to do nice pretty arms, and forgets once again about her feet, she finds it hard to remember to do both. "Annie dear, feet." She starts concentrating on her feet and loses all knowledge of what her arms are doing. Half way through the dance the back row come forward, and the front go backwards, in the spaces between each other. She hates that part worst, the thought that the whole school might see her dance horribly.

She thinks she just gotten control of her arms and legs, as she gets to the front. "Annie, please don't stick your tongue out, put on your smile instead." It's not her fault her tongue pokes out, it sometimes does when she's concentrating. As the dance class ends, she sits to rub her feet. "OK class I have an important announcement to make gather round."

Annie lets out a heavy sigh, "I have great news for you all, as part of the school link programme, you'll have guest performers on stage with us, for the show. Alan Jefferson School, don't have their own stage, but they want to perform for their parents too, so our Principal has agreed to let them do a couple of sections in the show, so they can get the chance to be on stage too. Isn't that nice?" "Yes." The others shout, but it just makes Annie feel worse, not only will she dance badly in front of her _own _school, she'll dance badly in front of a _second_ school and a second lot of parents.

Feeling even worse Annie waits until, the other kids have gone. "Mrs Do I really have to be in the show? I'm so bad and everyone will see and laugh at me." Her dance teacher looks at her kindly now. "Annie dear, I admit you don't quite have a natural gift for dance, but that doesn't mean you should hide away, you have time yet to work on things and your family will be pleased just to see you up on the stage dancing, not everyone can be the best. Just try and have fun and keep dancing, no one will laugh at you, now go get changed, your mom will be waiting to pick you up."

She gets into her mom's car. "Mom I don't want to do it, I'm really bad and a whole other school will see too. The Alan Jefferson kids will be joining in the show." Her mom twists in her seat to see her. "Annie, don't be dramatic, I'm sure you dance just fine. You just need to keep practising, some of the others have been dancing, longer that's all, they just look better, you'll get the hang of it, giving up so soon isn't the answer."

Annie broods all the way home and goes straight to her room to punch a pillow. "How's the dancing going little sister?" He's not being unkind but Annie doesn't want to talk more about dancing. "Shut up Ty, if you laugh at me in the show, I'll punch you," She said. As threateningly as she could, with a wave of her fist close to his face. "That well, good luck then," he pats her shoulder leaves her.

She sulks until tea and takes her frustrations out further on her pillow innocent. "Annie it's tea time." Her mom called through the door; she feels a little better as she leaves her room to join her family. She sees that her parents have made spaghetti bolognaise, it's one of her favourite dishes. "We thought we'd have your favourite tonight to try and cheer you up a bit.

"Thanks," she feels bad for being sulky earlier. "I'm sorry I was a pain earlier, I'm just scared I'll look bad in front of lots of people." Her mom and dad share a look. "Annie, I'd like you to do the show, but if your still not happy dancing after Christmas, I'll let you quit, if you're not having fun then you should do something you enjoy better, at least you can say you tried it, even if you don't like it." She can tell her mom would like her to keep dancing, but Annie's relived, she'll be able to quit if she wants, but not until after the dreaded show.

"Thank you, I know you really want me to like it, I will try and dance well." "Try not to feel to pressure about how the other girls are doing and just try and have fun, you might like it better, you brother will be in the show too, he's not the best singer but he's still having a go, that's all we want form you both, to try new things and see if you like them." Annie definitely feels better after tea, she even practices her dance moves alone in her room.

* * *

In Morton Finnick is still trying to establish, what he and Breeze will have for their tea. "Mom what are we going to eat?" he complained, huger making his stomach hurt. She snores from the sofa. Finnick kicks it, still she continues to sleep.

After his teacher called, she did as she said and got, him and Breeze clothes from the supermarket. All much bigger than them, so they'd have room to grow. She used the combined money, from her job and Finnick going to the neighbours, to do the bad things he doesn't like, all too soon though his mom started to take advantage, sending Finnick across the hallway, insisting that she'd spend the money on him and Breeze.

Finnick suspects she's spending it on herself; he found pills down the side of the sofa and was thankful that, it wasn't Breeze who found them. He's concerned she's taking worse things than just what she smokes, he's not stupid enough or naive enough to believe, the doctor gave them to her, which is what she tried to tell him, he knows they came from the man she goes to in the park, just like her smelly cigarettes.

There's nothing at all in the fridge, Finnick opens the cupboards in desperation and finds, the few tins of soup and packets of noodles they bought on their first trip to the supermarket. His mom's never used the cooker, he's not sure she knows how and neither does he. Finnick takes out a packet of noodles and reads the instructions, it all seems simple enough.

"Breeze, I'm going to Ashley's for a minute I'll be back soon, you stay here." They don't have a pan, for cooking, his mom never bought one. He runs down the stairs as fast as a hungry child can and knocks on the door. "Hi Finnick, you need something?" She asked looking like she's getting ready to head out for work. "Can I please borrow a pan and wooden spoon? We don't have them, I want to cook tea, I promise I'll clean it before I bring it back," he said giving her his best smile. "One minute." She comes back quickly, her you can have this, I don't use it much, I have a better one, so you can keep it and the spoon," She said handing him the small pan with the spoon inside. "Thanks Ashley, you're the best."

When he gets back, he rolls up some old newspaper. Breeze watches him, with a mixture of awe and amazement. "Stand back Bo, by the door, if blow up the cooker, or set the place on fire run and get help." She strains her neck to watch him from the door.

He pulls a chair over in front of the cooker and stands on it so he can see better. With his mom's lighter he lights the end of the newspaper, he turns the cooker nob and listens for the gas, then holds out the slowly burning newspaper to the cooker ring, blue flame jump around the ring, he drops the burning newspaper into the sink and turns on the cold tap, to extinguish it. He leaves the tap running on it while he turns his attention to the noodles.

He puts them in the pan and fills it, with what he thinks is the right amount of water, the puts the pan over the flame and turns the heat up to get the noodles cooking, it takes a while for the water to boil, he breaks up the noodles with the wooden spoon as they heat. Finnick adds the packets of sauce as they soften, he cooks the until most of the water is goes, he guesses they're just about ready and tastes one noodle, he turns the gas off feeling proud he used the cooker, when his own mother, either can't or won't.

Finnick turns the cooker off and gets, one of the clean bowls they use for breakfast, he carefully pours the cooked noodles into it and sets the pan back on the stove, he gets to unused forks from the draw. Breeze has already come closer again. "OK sit at the table Bo, I'll bring it over." He puts the two forks into the noodles and carries the bowl over, he puts it between them.

"Careful they're hot, so blow on them before you eat them." She takes a fork and scoops a large amount on and blows a few times before, eating them. "Yum, they taste good," she said proud and grateful, with her mouth full. Finnick lets her eat the most but tries to make sure he eats enough, too keep his own hunger at bay for a short time at least.

He washes the pan, bowl and fork as his mom wakes up. She seems confused when she sees what he's doing, "Where'd the pan come from?" "I borrowed it so I could cook noodles, for me and Bo, I was told I could keep it," She shrugs. Once you're done cleaning it, you can cook me some soup then," she said taking a ring pull can out the cupboard.

After he's finished cleaning the pan, he reads the instructions on the soup and warms it up as instructed; he puts his mom's soup in the bowl and puts on the coffee table, in front of her, where she's flicking through the channels. He doesn't even get a thank you for his efforts.

He goes to his room and reads before bed, to stay out of his mom's way. He makes sure he and Breeze, are ready for and in bed for at the usual bedtime, since their mom doesn't both much these days. "Night Bo," he said after finishing her bedtime story. And getting into his own bed.

In the morning his chest is bad and he's wheezing quite a lot, "Mom you'll have to help me take Breeze to day care," he said after taking a second puff from his blue inhaler. "Finnick it's what you do, I don't have time." He gets angry at her uncaring attitude. "Do you want me to have another asthma attack and end up in hospital again? That's what will happen if I try and take her today, my chest isn't well enough." "Finnick I'm sure your fine, but if I really have to, I will, I need to call the dinner first, to tell them I'll be late," she calls on the phone. His mom complains about having to help him get Breeze to day care all the way there. He's glad as they part ways and he leaves her to cross the road for school.

He doesn't have a note to let him off PE but when his teacher, hears the noise his lungs are making, he insists Finnick sits out for the lesson and watches, he saw what the first asthma attack did to him, and decides to use common sense, since Finnick can't fake the wheezing noise form his chest. He wanted to do gym class with the others, but he knows he has to miss out.

Science class is after PE and he loves it when his class get to do small experiments, so he's happy as toady is one of those days takes notes. The start to his day wasn't great but again he's cheered up by art class. "OK children, we're having a special art class today, Toy World is running a competition, for local children to design a Christmas card, they'll be several age categories and the first place winners get their cards made and put into a pack for sale, twenty dollars gift voucher to spend in the store and a pack of the card designs. Today I want you all to do your best, but remember the children in other nearby schools will be doing the same."

Finnick can't believe how his day could go from terrible to so good; he might have a chance to get toy vouchers and a gift for his sister for Christmas, he's unsure if he can rely on his mom to get them anything, so the toy vouchers would ensure, that at least his sister would have a gift, if he could win them. He's not the best at art though but he tries is hardest and takes his time. "You have a week, to complete your entries, you must hand in your finished design by the last day or it won't count, with your name age and the schools name on the back." Mr Richards said as the class ends

At Dinner Finnick only eats about half of his food, it's not that he isn't hungry, but he's developed a habit for saving bits of his dinner for later. He puts half his pizza in a zip lock bag and a large red apple in his back pack. He'll let Breeze eat the half of his pizza and split the apple halfsies with her, since they get so little fruit and vegetables.

To give him something to do instead of sitting in the library most afternoons, he joined Miss Waters choir. He likes singing and he missed being in her class, so he joined. He goes to the choir room and waits as the other start to show up. "OK everyone, I know you all wanted to put on a show for Christmas and we've been given permission to join in Clayton Elementary School Christmas show and to sing some songs. We'll be going on the school bus, but you'll need permission to go, I have some letters for your parents to sign and to let them know, when it will be and that they've been invited to come watch us. I hope you'll al be able to come."

"Yes!" Finnick shouted. He wanted to be part of a show, now he can be, he'll get her to sign when she's half asleep, so she'll agree. They work on their songs and take a vote, on which two they'd like to sing at the show, Finnick doesn't care which two songs win, but he's happy with the vote results, Somewhere over the rainbow and Tomorrow form the musical Annie.

He sings them on the way home and tries to teach Breeze the words, he finishes he nightly routine of chores and homework, then reads the letter he came home with, it states that, they'll have one rehearsal after school, they'll be taken by the school bus to it and the show it's self will be on the Friday evening.

The only trouble with the whole situation, will be having Breeze picked up from day care, he won't be able to do it himself and he knows his mom won't agree and will just insist that he misses the show. The only solution he can think of, is to take his letter to Ashley, and see, if she'd agree to help him out the one time.

He takes Breeze down to her apartment and knocks on the door, with the letter tucked inside the waist band of his pants. "Hey Finnick, I have to go out soon. What do you want?" She looks tired and not really happy, but he decides that he has to ask his question now anyway. "Urm... I got a letter from school about, a show we're doing, I'm supposed to be in it, but there's no one to pick up Breeze, could you help?"

Ashley drums her fingers on the door frame and looks thoughtful for a while. "Let me read it." She takes the letter and reads it though. "Useless waste of space, your mother is," she said to herself, not realising Finnick and Breeze could hear every word. She goes inside her apartment and returns, with a pen. "Fine, I might as well sign it to, since your mom's not likely to do it." she hands him the letter back with the faked signature. "I can't promise to make it to the show, but I will take care of Breeze for you and make sure she eats." Finnick gives her a big smile "Thank you, Ashley you're the best."

He races up the stairs with Breeze and beats her to the top for a change, he's much happier, now he knows that, he'll be in the show to. He gets the one can of soup left in the cupboard and splits it between them both and give Breeze his half a Pizza he saved. After tea they sit watching TV a while, whilst eating the apple he just about manages to cut in half, before they get ready for bed, Finnick makes sure his permission slip is safely in his bag.

* * *

The one rehearsal with both schools present, goes mostly well, with only minor slip ups. Annie doesn't count her own disastrous dancing in that, choosing denial instead and convincing herself she did much better.

On the night after rehearsal, the Alan Jefferson kids arrive on time and wait in the classroom set up for them to use as a changing room and rehearsal room. Annie and some of the other stand outside listening to the warm up and practice.

The school auditorium is only small, with only three walks ways down two at each far side of the rows of seats and one central walkway, the children wait one group on stage and the one that will go on next in the wings.

The Alan Jefferson children will sing two songs Somewhere over the rainbow, as second act in the first half of the show and Tomorrow after the intermission. She only has the one dance to do after they've sang When I grow up. Then her group get to sit at the back of the auditorium and watch the rest of the show.

Her dance class wait in a line as Taylor's group leave the stage, the Alan Jefferson kids walk out onto the stage, for their song and Annie and her dance class wait and watch from the wings. All the Alan Jefferson kids have a rainbow painted on each cheek. They don't really any costumes, just jeans and plain white t-shirts.

The Alan Jefferson kids sing well in harmony, much better than her brothers group did. Annie would rather be singing with them than dancing. She spots the boy she noticed at the rehearsal, the one with the bright green eyes, he irritated her then and he does so again now. It's not that he's done anything wrong or laughed at her dancing. She's having one of those odd moments, she recognises his face but she can't place where form.

None of the other children really stand out to her through the performance. She frowns and racks her brain to try and place his face, but all she does is frustrate herself and gets no closer to working out, why he seems so familiar.

As the Alan Jefferson kids leave the stage she claps. The boy with the green eye gives her a big smile and two thumbs up. Her group are the last before the intermission, she feels nervous but somehow the boy's warm friendly eyes and smile reassure and calm her, she gives his a small smile back. He nods and gives her the thumbs up as she walks out for her act.

Annie thinks she looks awful in her costume, but she's glad that it'll be much harder for them all to be told apart from each other, now her group are dressed as stars. With yellow cone hats for the top point of the star and a matching yellow, with two more rounded star points, so that the costume ends up making them look sort of like three point stars, yellow tights and ballet slippers. To finish the look all of her group have yellow painted faces with gold glitter on their cheeks.

She looks out into the audience and spots her family, some of her group wave at there's she sees her dad taping the whole thing with a video camera and groans. The music starts, she tries hard to get all the different moves right, in their large star costumes some of the other girls have difficulty moving, without colliding too, so she doesn't stick out as much as normal, she manages not to crash as she comes forward and to remember each step, she even gets the finish right and almost cries with joy.

In the break all the children are taken to one of the class rooms, for a rest some orange juice buffet snack, including turkey sandwiches, vegetarian tarts and a slice of Christmas cake each. Annie watches with curiosity as the boy eats like he's never been feed and when most of every ones attention is elsewhere, he adds left overs to his back pack, not everything but a few bits of all the extra food.

He sees her looking and looks both guilty and scared, Annie's unsure what the correct course of action is, she doesn't know whether she should tell on him or not, in the end she decides to let it go. They boy looks thin and he's obviously very hungry, she figures the leftover food would most likely go to waste, she mimics locking her lips and throwing the key away, the boy gives her a grateful smile.

Through the second half of the show, she gets to sit at the back of the auditorium, with others not involved in it and just watch, as the other kids finish the singing dancing. She hates to admit it but the Alan Jefferson kids song Tomorrow is the best one of the night, she and the other children who weren't in the second half are lead quickly back out to the stage for final bows.

All of the children from both schools get to return to the stage for final bows, they all just about fit on the stage. The Principal makes his way onto the packed stage. "Thank you all for coming out here to watch, this evening, thank you to all the children of Clayton Elementary School for putting on such a great show and to our guest, from Alan Jefferson elementary school for helping to make the show extra special, all of you shone like bright stars this evening. Before we all leave tonight, I have one more guest here tonight, who would like to say a few words." A man enters the stage and takes the microphone.

"Hello every one my name's Paul. As some of you here might know, there was a competition for Christmas card designs, and different age categories today I've been to other local schools announcing the winners and I'm pleased to announce that the last winner is here tonight."

Annie's class didn't enter, but her brother's did, she hopes that he'll have won and that he might get her a gift with the vouchers. "The final winner of the Toys World vouchers and a pack of the winning card designs is...Finnick Richardson." The shocked looking boy with the familiar green eyes, makes his way forward to collect his prize. He shakes hands with the man for toys world and takes his prize. "Well done Finnick congratulations."

After the announcement, the children are allowed to filter out and to go to the classroom near the auditorium to change, each of the children receive a piece of Christmas cake for taking part. "Happy Christmas see you next semester." She doesn't quite catch who said it, or even if it was directed at her but she shouts the same back, the corridors are a confusion of parents and children all trying to meet up and get home for the Christmas holidays. Annie's family are waiting in the parking lot for her and Ty.

She makes her way out, just in time to see the Alan Jefferson children getting on their school bus, she waves to them all and give a big smile and a thumbs up to the boy who won the vouchers, when the bus leaves she looks around for her parents car and runs over to it, Taylor is the last one to the car. "Slow coach, I want to get home this year, I'm tired," she complained to him as he gets in. "I had to say bye to all my friends."

Annie's tired when she gets home and decides to go to bed, she ate in the break of the show, so she decides to skip tea and go to bed. She yawns and curls up in her bed, her performance could have been worse and she's quite happy with how it all turned out, she falls asleep fast with a happy smile on her face.

* * *

Finnick hasn't told his mom, he won gift vouchers from Toys World. He's afraid that she'd get toys then sell them and use the money for more drugs from the man in the park. He wasn't quite sure where the nearest toys world was, but after talking to Ashley, he has a rough idea of where it is, she offered him the bus money to get there and back as a Christmas gift and also to look after Breeze for him.

He leaves Breeze with her as agreed and waits for a bus, with it being so close to Christmas now it's packed, with other shoppers. Finnick stands to let others sit down, he asked the bus drive to let him know when the bus arrive outside toys world in case he can't see it through the windows. "Toy's World!" The bus driver shouted. He makes his way of the bus with many others. "Thank you!" He shouted back to the bus driver as he gets off.

A lot of snow has fallen and the air is so cold he can see his breath, it's also made his chest worse, on top of that he has a cold and a bright red nose for constantly blowing it. But he still wanted to come out and get some gifts for Breeze at least. He has to walk slowly on the icy parking lot so he doesn't slip.

The warmth of toys world is a welcome change, to the cold outside. He knows of a few toys his sister want form adverts on the TV, he wrote them on a sheet he tore out of his spelling book. Finnick gets the doll made for children of three years and up and a skipping rope, sometimes he has to squeeze through crowds of others with his basket, he adds it up in his head to make sure he doesn't go over the vouchers, he has no extra money to put to the shopping.

Breeze wanted a popular cuddle cat, but he can't seem to find any, "Excuse me, do you have any snuggle animal cuddle cats here?" He said to an employee filling shelves, the teenager scratches her head "Errr no sorry, we still have the cuddle polar bears and lions though, would you like one of those instead? We're not due to get any of the cats back until after Christmas, I could ring another store but a doubt there's much chance of getting one."

Finnick considers his options. "Well I guess lions are just big cats, so I could get her that instead." "OK, there on the top shelf so if you just follow me, I'll reach one for you." He has to jog to keep up, but he's glad that someone else will be able to reach it for him. "There you go, do you need any more help?" "No thanks that's all" He's got everything Breeze wanted but he's going to get a couple more toys anyway to make her extra happy.

As he's looking for a last couple of toys, he spots something he wants, the doctors kit, there's one left on the bottom shelf, just one, he was going to spend all the money on Breeze, he goes over to it and checks the price, he'd have just enough with the vouchers, to get it and the toys already in his basket. He has little time to think as a couple with a trolley and their own list stop. "There it is!" The man points "just one!" He adds still pointing straight at it.

Finnick however is closer, he grabs it off the shelf from the back, the case is a little dirty, but he doesn't care. "Hey kid! I was going to buy that for my son." The man shouts at him. Finnick stick his tongue out. "It's mine now, I'm buying gifts too." The man looks at him sceptically. Finnick picks up the basket with both hands, and heads as fast as he can for the tills. "Leaving the man yelling behind him.

All of the queues are long, he has no option but to join one and wait, he gets more strange looks, from other shoppers as he waits patiently to be served. He sings happily to the Christmas music playing in the store. He adds his shopping on the conveyor belt behind the next customer sign, when his turn finally comes. He takes the vouchers from his pocket. "You need to have money, little boy," she said clearly wondering how he'll pay. "I have vouchers," he said stretching them out as close to her as he can. "I won the Christmas card competition" He said and the points to a pack by the till. She smiles at him "Congratulations, your shopping comes to twenty dollars exactly, that's all your vouchers, do you still want to purchase everything?" "Yes please," Finnick said.

He puts the Doctors kit and the skipping rope into a bag and the Lion and the doll into his school backpack, which he emptied just to come shopping, he puts his backpack on both shoulders and caries the other bag with both hands.

When he finally makes it home after spend a large proportion of the day at toys world, he goes back to the apartment, to wrap his gifts. Finnick improvises by colouring old newspaper with hand drawn Christmas pictures, he borrowed cellotape form his art class, he'll take back what he doesn't use and hope no one notices he borrowed it.

Wrapping gifts is hard, but he does what he can, the paper is coming off in places and there's tape stuck all over the outside. He even manages to wrap his own with some effort. When he started he had a whole roll of cello tape, there's not much left by the time he's finished he decides to call the tape a gift to him, form his school. He writes cards for Breeze, Ashley and his mom, form the pack of wining designs he was given as part of the prize. He hides the gifts under his bed and puts the spare sheet over them. Breeze is scared of monsters so he doubts she'll look for them.

On Christmas morning he gets up early to put Breeze's gifts on the floor at the bottom of her bed, so she'll think Santa remembered her, he puts his one gift at the bottom of his bed. He considers leaving her to sleep but he wants to see her face.

"Bo, Bo look Santa's been, he didn't forget us he's been." She wakes up looking shocked. "Santa's been? I thought mom said he wouldn't come to us?" "Well he did, we got gifts, look." She gets out of bed and come to see where Finnick's pointing.

"Wow Finn-Fnn, look at all my gifts and you got one too," She said happily. "Open your card first." She does, he gave her the one he designed. "Thanks Finnick!" She hugs him "I drew, the picture, for a competition, then they made my card real." She looks at the oddly wrapped gifts confused.

"I had to be Santa's helper and wrap them up, so they're a bit messy." "Thanks Finnick you did a good job." She tears the paper off "The dolly, I wanted, a lion snuggle animal and a skipping rope! We can have fun now Finnick!" She doesn't seem overly disappointed to have the lion instead of the cat, which pleases him. "Open yours see what it is."

He brings his gift over and tears off the paper, he acts surprised for her. "A doctors set, now I can be a doctor! If your dolly gets sick or hurt I can make it better." "Yeah we can play doctors." That's what they do, Finnick writes Dr. Richardson in his best hand writing and clips it to his white coat. They play until, they hear their mom get up.

She comes in to see them. "What's all the noise?" "Santa didn't forget, he came to us for Christmas." She looks to Finnick. "I'm going to help mom with breakfast. I have fun Bo." He goes into the living room and closes the door. "I won a competition and got toy vouchers so I used them, for me and Bo, please don't sell our gifts," His mom sighs heavily. "Fine Ican't be bothered trying to sell random kids toys anyway, I wouldn't get much and if they keep you both quiet a while," she said with a shrug.

For the rest of the morning, they watch Christmas movies, and for lunch, they turkey and cranberry sandwiches from Mick's diner, their first Christmas in Morton isn't as bad as it could be. His mom even cheers up a bit, later in the day, Finnick pushes a card under Ashley door to thank her for all her help.

* * *

Annie and her brother are woken on the same Christmas morning, by both their parents, they have waffles for breakfast and sit together, around the presents in the living room, each taking turns to open one each so that they last longer.

Once the gifts are open they take turns using the bathroom and changing into, new clothes bought as Christmas gifts, so they can skype their grandparents while, their mom and dad cook the Christmas Lunch. "Happy Christmas Grandma and Granddad!" Annie and Ty shout unnecessarily, they talk about their Christmas gifts until, their parents have finished the Lunch preparations.

Annie and Taylor play with their gifts, whilst their parents talk to the grandparents, until it's time for the traditional, turkey Lunch complete with timings. They rest and watch movies after and then play board games until bedtime, she goes to sleep happy and then realises, it'll be the last Christmas she has in her current apartment.

* * *

**Sorry this one tool so long to put up, I had computer issues, I hope are fixed now.**

**Thanks for all the reviews to my previous chapter, I really was nervous about that one.**

**Please keep the comment and things coming I appreciate knowing what everyone thinks.**


	8. Moving House

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

* * *

**Moving House**

It's the first day of summer holidays, for Annie and her brother and while most of their friends are off on vacation, they are finally making the long awaited move. Their dad has moved most of their possessions in the last days, with help from his friends, while Annie and her brother were at school, so that they have less to do. Annie and Taylor said there tear filled good-byes, on that last day of school.

She and her brother sit in their empty living room, with an almost empty pizza box, finishing the last of their last meal in the apartment; they have lived in and grown up in all their lives. The two children sit close to where the TV was watching their parents, and the two friends of Annie's dad, who are helping to get the last of their possessions into the van being driven to their new home.

The occasional muttered curse comes their way, as the mattresses are finaly being moved, out to the truck, Annie and Taylor watch on silently. Annie thought she'd just be glad to leave her home, but now, she feels a little sadness welling up in her, knowing they're leave their home for good.

Once she's eaten all she can, she makes her last trip to the bathroom, both to clean up her face and hands and to use the toilet before getting in the car, they have a long drive ahead of them, her parents are aiming to leave the apartment by seven O'clock in the evening, after rush hour, when everyone's trying to get home.

Her parents want to do the whole drive in one go, switching drives roughly half-way through, her dad's friends in the removal van will do the same, they're hoping to be at their new home, early next day, Annie gets her backpack on, with the toys, games and books she picked, to put in it to occupy her for some of the trip, she's just waiting to be told to get into the car.

"OK, are you two ready to go? We have a long drive ahead of us," Her mom asked Annie nods. "Yep, already," she replied with a little nervousness over the trip ahead. "I need the bathroom," Taylor said. Her mom scowls at him and sighs heavily. "Fine Taylor, hurry it up, I'm in charge of locking up and doing the final checks to ensure, we've really got everything." Taylor runs off to the bathroom, Annie helps her mom out, by checking her old room, to make sure nothings been left, it doesn't take long because her old room is empty. "Bye old room, I'll miss you," she said quietly. She will to, the years she remembers living in the apartment were good ones.

"I think we're all good," her mom said, when the meet back in what was their living room. They hear the toilet flush, Taylor comes back. "I'm ready now," he said. Both children carry their own pillows and blankets; their mom locks the front door. They'll be doping off the key with the landlord on their way out of town.

Annie and Taylor both, get into the two back doors of the car, leaving the middle space empty. Annie's parents have two cars, but one was driven earlier by her dad and left, he got a flight back to Oregon so they'd only have to drive one for the final move.

Her dad sits in the driver's seat, just in front of her, her mom doesn't like night driving so much, so he's doing the first part of the drive, when it'll be darkest. They slam the car doors shut. "All right, is every one read to go?" Her dad yelled from the driver's seat "Yes," Annie and Taylor shout back. He starts the engine, "Off we go then, bye, house." Annie yelled, they all wave to their apartment block and friends as her dad pulls out, followed by his friend, driving the removals van.

Annie reads and barely registers when they stop, for their apartment key to be returned. Her mom's already fast asleep using her travel pillow, as Annie pulls her blanket over herself, hugs her pillow and puts her head against it against the window. It takes her a little while to get comfortable, but the soothing sound of the car's engine, soon has her sleeping.

It's pitch black outside when she next opens her eye's, she has a stiff neck, which she tries to ease by gently moving around, it makes a little cracking noises as she does so, she also stretches her legs out, as far as she can, with the limited leg room in the back.

She looks out the window at the passing lights on the cars driving the opposite way to wherever they must be going. Her parents put a cool bag of snacks, sandwiches and bottled drinks, to keep them going for a while and to reduce the amount of stops they might need. Annie looks though to find her pink drinking bottle and sandwich box. She pulls them out and reads the labels, which fortunately were written big enough to read in the dark, she puts back the ones that don't belong to her, after having difficulty telling the colours apart and reading the labels in the dark.

As Annie opens the lid of her air tight sandwich box, which she tries to do it quietly, but the clips that keep the lid on sound loud, as they click so she can take it off. Her mom and brother however continue to sleep. She eats her sandwiches and tries to get a look at the car clock, to see the time is but can't quite manage it. "Dad what time is it?" She asked trying to keep her voice quiet. "It's past midnight Annie, please tell me you don't require a toilet break, we've only just pass a rest stop." "No I'm fine thanks dad. I just wondered about the time, that's all." He concentrates on his driving, she decides its best not to distract him too much.

She opens her back pack and pulls out, her dad's I-pod, she doesn't have her own, but her dad made her a play list for the trip, with some songs she likes, she puts it on and watches out her window at the other passing cars and signs she can't read in the dark.

"We're coming up to a stop, so that we can top up on petrol, please wake your brother and ask him if he wants a toilet break," her dad said after an hour or so had passed. Her brother grumbles unintelligibly, as she tries to wake him. "Taylor, we're stopping do you have to go?" He waves an arm at her, she shakes him as well as she can with the empty space in the middle. "Wake up we're having a toilet break, and if you don't go and then need to, you'll have to pee out the window." Her dad snorts and laughs from the driver seat. "Good one Annie," Her dad's laughter does what she can't and wakes both Taylor and their mom.

They both stretch awkwardly form sleeping in the car. "Rest break every one, use the toilet, stretch your legs, whatever you need, do it here, Alice, please call the guys in the removal van so they know we're stopping. Tell them to keep going ahead if they don't need to stop for anything.," her dad said, her mom gets out her phone and makes the call as Annie's dad pulls into a gas station.

She doesn't really need a toilet break right now, but Annie knows that if she doesn't get out and go here, she might need one not much further on. Taylor you stay with me in the car, just until Annie and your mom get back, and then we'll go, so that there's one adult with the car," her dad said Taylor rolls his eyes as Annie and their mom get out of the car.

Once she's out Annie takes in some deep breaths, of the warm night air and stretches her arms over her head. She goes round to her mom and they run in the direction of the gas stations toilets. When she gets into the small rest room, she wishes she'd stayed in the car, it smells like it's never been cleaned and one of the toilets appears to be leaking, she wrinkles her nose and holds it with one hand.

There are only two toilets and neither of them wants to use the leaking one. "You go first, Annie don't leave the rest room alone, wait for me to finish. Thank fully it doesn't take long for both of them to use the toilet and wash their hands, neither of them wish to stay any longer than necessary in the restroom.

At the car Annie's mom takes her blanket off the back seat and neatly folds it, leaving it long enough to wrap it round Annie. There it'll be easier to sleep, if it's properly warped around you and it won't come off," she said as she wraps the blanket round her daughter. Her mom helps her into the car and clips her back in, whilst her dad and brother go the men's restroom and pay for the gas.

Annie's already drifting into sleep again, as her brother and farther return to the car, she jolts awake as her brother, starts rifling through the food bag noisily, he passes food forward to their mom and starts to eat his own. "Quite Ty, I want to sleep," She said. Sometimes he likes to tease her, but he actually tries to be quieter, so that she can sleep again, even though being quiet isn't one of his strong points.

The next time Annie wakes up, its light outside and her parents have switched drivers, her dads lightly snoring in the front seat; Annie can't believe she slept through them changing over. "Morning Annie, we haven't much further to go now just a few hours more and we'll be at our new home." She nods still not fully awake.

She's too excited though, to want to sleep again, so she winds the window down and watches out of it, happier that she can see more, of where she's heading to. The sunshine on her face makes her cheery and eager to be out of the car. Annie knows she shouldn't ask but can't help herself. "Are we, nearly their yet?" Her mom rolls her eyes "Now do you get why we're taking this trip over night? Less are we there yets, the answer is nearly and please don't be tempted to ask again." Her mom said slightly irritated, most likely due to being in the car so long.

Annie manages not to ask again despite feeling the urge to, her brother though, insist on asking every few minutes. Just as Annie's about ready to kill her brother herself, her mom stops the car outside an apartment block and much to everyone's relief, including their recently woken dad, her mom announces. "Here we are, our new home, until the new estate your dad will be working on has been built." Annie claps and her brother cheers loudly.

The removals van is parked a little way in front of their car; already unloading the last of their possessions, her dad gave them a spare key so they could get started, if they reached the apartment first.

"Get out TY, I want to stretch my legs," Annie complained, to her brother. Her door would open onto the road and her mom always insist that she should get out onto a sidewalk, unless she or her dad, was there to open the card door and to watch the traffic to make sure it's safe to do so.

Her brother though doesn't need much, persuasion, he too wants to be out of the car after, being inside it so long, he throws the door open and leaps outs, Annie negotiates the bags, pillows and blankets and steps out into the mid-morning sunshine.

"OK I know your both glad to be out the car, we'll show you round the apartment, then we'll go out and get breakfast." Annie would like to stay outside and play in the sunshine, but at the same time she really wants to see the new rented apartment and eat.

The new appointment block looks similar, to the one they left, modern and clean on the outside. The differences that are immediately visible to her are that, the building has more floors, at least ten that Annie can count, with the sun in her eyes, each of the apartments also appear to have small balcony, most with a small table and folding chairs on and other with small washing lines. Annie likes what she sees for the outside and hopes the inside will be as good.

We're on floor three in this building, it's a little smaller inside room wise, to what we had, but there are deference, I think you'll like that will make up for that." Her dad doesn't explain what differences are, less space doesn't sound good to Annie, but she hopes it won't be too much smaller than their last home.

Her dad helps his friends with what looks like the last boxes', from the back of the van, she and Taylor follow their mom upstairs ahead of it. "OK kids here we are, our new home for the time being, careful of any boxes in the way." She opens the door and lets them in first.

The family bikes are in the small entrance way to the apartment, there's just enough space for them not to be in the way of the door. The main living room and kitchen dinner, if there's less space than their old place, so far Annie can't tell. While Taylor checks out bedrooms she goes to the large window, to see what view they have from their balcony. Their apartment is at the back of the building so they aren't looking out on to the road.

She pulls the blind gasps and then lets out a sequel of delight, "A pool we have a pool!" She shouted jumping up and down in her excitement. There are four identical apartment blocks and in the middle space between them is a fenced of pool for residents, she can just make out a _residents only_ sign and one next to it that reads _no unaccompanied children. _Her mom opens the sliding_, _doors that leads out on to the small balcony, there's no table or chairs, or washing line, like on most of the other balconies she can see. "It'll be lovely out here, when we get our own table and chair set don't you think Annie? And yes the pools for residents who live in the apartment blocks, I'm not promising, you'll be able to swim today, we have to get unpacked and sorted out first but I promise that as soon as we have enough time, your dad and I will take you and Ty down." "Yeah thanks mom, I can't wait to sit on the balcony, I'm going to tell Ty about the pool." She replied

Annie goes into the room Taylor entered before her, "Ty have you seen it-?" "Yes, Annie the apartments not so bad, OK?" She walks over to the blinds. "no, I mean this." She opens them and he gets closer to look out. "We own a pool?" "No stupid, it's shared by the four apartments, but we can use it." He brightens up even more "Yes, that makes the house move worth it."

"Have you two seen enough, for now? Your dad and I want breakfast, well more like brunch now, apparently there's an all you can eat nearby." They both follow her out and her dad locks the apartment, whilst they go out and get back into the car, the removals van has gone.

Her dad drives to the all you can eat and parks up, they all queue with their separate plates, Annie has waffles with just about any extra she can reach, her brother has the same but with pancakes, and even their parents load up with more food than they'd normally have. Her mom and dad carry the plates to their seating both and she and Taylor get four glasses of soda from the machine, then go back to their table to sit and eat.

Annie crams in as much as her stomach will take but doesn't quite finish her plate full, Taylor and her dad have no such trouble, her mom also stops eating before she finishes her plate full. They rest at the all you can eat while their parents decide what should be unpacked, and a rough order for the unpacking. "I don't want to unpack," Taylor complains. "I want to play out." "Taylor we have to get moved in, and unpacked, you can play out once we're done," her mom said. Taylor pouts and looks gloomy. "Maybe it's not such a bad idea Alice, we could probably get the unpacking done faster, if the kids played out a while, we could stop off at the park we passed to get here, Annie and Taylor are capable of walking back to the apartment form there."

Her mom considers it, she seems reluctant, Annie holds her breath with anticipation. "I guess, it might be easier, to have you outside a bit, there wouldn't be as much moaning. All right, you two can play in the park, but you have to be home for about tea time." Annie and Taylor smile at each other. "Thanks mom," they both said.

The park is about ten minutes from their home. Resting at the all you can eat and the short drive, give them enough time, to start digesting their brunch. "Thanks mom, bye!" Annie shouted as she gets out the car after Taylor and chases him into the park, they both quickly stop though; they haven't entirely recovered from their food.

"I think I might barf," Taylor said clutching his stomach and sitting on the grass. Annie nods in agreement. "Maybe we should sit a while," She sitting down next to him. "We could play eye spy." Taylor said. They sit playing eye spy until the game bores them. "Let's see if there's a jungle gym around here." The park is big and they can't see everything from where they're sat.

They both get up and explore round the park, they find a jungle gym, but don't stop there, they look round the whole park and Taylor face lights up as he see a skate park set up, at the far side of the park. "Way cool a pool and a skate park, awesome! I'm going to see if I can have a go, if one of the kids will let me," he said. "No, I'll run home and tell on you, you could get, hurt or die! You don't know what you're doing, you've never even been on a skateboard before!" she yelled grabbing at his t-shirt. "Fine moaning Annie, but I will come play at the skate park; we'll stay safe at the jungle gym." He said like she's ruining his fun, Annie knows their mom will never let him have a skateboard, so she tries to relax a bit.

They play together on the jungle gym and make friends with some of the other kids there, the parks busy, with people wanting to be outside in the summer heat, it's much too warm to be indoors, Annie feels momentarily bad for her own parents, she's glad she's not yet old enough to have the responsibilities of an adult and to be a child.

"Annie, we've got to go now, it'll be tea soon." He called from the top of the climbing frame, to where Annie's sat on the swings, he climbs down fast and jumps a short way to the grass. Annie slows herself down as he runs to the swings to meet her.

They find their way back to the apartment, easy enough. Annie really want a shower or a bath, as she realises for the first time, she's still wearing the clothes, she had on the day before, she feels sticky with sweat, she knows Ty must be just as sweaty, but he either doesn't notice it or care.

Once they their mom lets them in, it's obviously had much done to it, the TV has been set on the wall, the boxes have either been moved out of the way or emptied and crushed, and the apartment looks more like a home. Probably due to Annie's mom insisting on labelling all boxes, clearly on the outside and having a contents list in each box, both for the purpose of making sure nothing was forgotten and so that they can clearly establish, exactly what went into each box, without needing to take everything and look randomly for things.

"It's good to see you both made it home, we've actually almost gotten everything done, I'm just about to start on tea, you too can go to your room and sort out your toys, your boxes are in your room already waiting," She said. "Mom I need a shower I've been wearing theses since yesterday, she pulls at her clothes." "Annie you might as well stay in those, until you sorted out your toys, so you don't get sweaty again, then shower before tea and change early for bed." Annie sulks but, she sort of sees the sense in what her mom said. "Fine, I'll sort my toys out first."

In her shared room with Taylor, her bed has been made, pushed up right to the window and her toy box is at the foot of it, she gets out her boxes and sort out her toys, into ones she's keeping on her bed and ones that can go in the toy box, it doesn't take her long to do, the book case is in Taylors side of the room, there's not enough room by her bed, she randomly puts them on the different shelves to speed up her unpacking.

The good thing about, her new room is the small walk in closet, that also now houses the two bikes against the far wall. Her parents have set out her clothes over, her side and Taylors on his with extra room in between. Annie picks out some clean pyjamas and finally leaves for her shower. There's no bath in the new bathroom or window, but she doesn't mind so much.

With the weather being warm, she allows her hair to dry it's self after a good towel rub, to take out some of the wetness. "Taylor, come on its tea time." She yelled through the bedroom door to him, as her dad starts to plate up. Annie sets the table with cutlery and a bottle of soda for them to drink.

Her dad measured the space in the new apartment and worked out, how much of their existing furniture they'd need to bring and anything they'd have to get rid of, the kitchen table had to go, due to lack of space, but the kitchen dinner is big enough for them all to sit together.

Annie sits right at the end for elbow room, her mom's cooked baked potatoes with tuna fish and salad. "I thought we ate or gave away the food before moving?" Annie said "Yeah we did, but you mom went to the supermarket, to get in some basics, we had takeout last night and all you can eat this morning, so she insisted on getting something better for us, for tea." "Wow you've done so much today, thanks mom and dad," she said. Raising the glass of juice her dad just poured for her. "I'm glad you appreciate the work Annie," Her mom said.

After tea Taylor's made to take his shower and change, Annie feels worn out, after her long travel, playing in the park and sorting out her boxed up toys and books. "I think I'm getting an early night, I'm really tired." she said yawning and stretching her arms. "OK good night sweet heart, I'll be in soon to read you a story." She rubs her eyes "No thanks dad, I think I'll skip it tonight." "Goodnight Annie," both her parents said, before kissing her and leaving her to go to her room.

It takes a couple more days for Annie's family to get everything completely sorted out and the old boxes moved. Her family make friends with their neighbours and some of the others in the building; Annie settles in very quickly and finds she doesn't miss her old home much and she's excited about making new friends and going to a new school.

Normally Annie's up early but she gets up extra early, her dad starts work on the new housing estate, the next day and he promised to take her swimming in the pool. Taylor and their mom could have joined but chose to get their beauty sleep instead.

She puts her swimming costume on under her shorts and T-shirt, she also puts her sandals on to prevent her standing on something and injuring her feet, lastly she rolls her towel up and holds it under her arm, she smiles as she leaves her room to find her dad in the kitchen drinking coffee. "You ready Annie?" She nods "Ok let's go swim."

They take the elevator to the ground floor, and leave the building by the back doors that lead out to the fenced of pool, He opens the gate and lets Annie through then closes it behind them. The pool is twenty-five meters in length and has sun loungers round the outside.

Annie and her dad are the only two at the pool so early, they put their towels on two sun loungers next to each other, she and her dad remove all clothes other than what they need for swimming and store them in his back pack.

"We have the pool all to ourselves this morning, I bet its cold though," her dad said. As he approached the poolside, to test the water temperature with his hand, he shivers involuntarily. Annie laughs at him. "You won't laugh when you get in here," he said. Annie joins him at the edge and puts her foot in, it is cold, as cold as a drink with ice cubes, only the pool has no actual ice.

Slowly she lowers the rest of her leg in to her knee, then puts her other leg in, she kicks her feet a bit in the water, then bravely pushes the rest of herself in with her hands. The morning sun isn't hot enough to remove the chill yet. Her teeth momentarily cheater, until she closes her mouth and begins to swim to warm up. She hears a splash and looks to where her dad jumped in close by her.

"Oh that's cold, it's nice though," he said. "I think a couple of warm up laps will help us feel better." Their two laps turn more into a race between them; it helps to make them feel warm, they dive under the water laugh and splash. "Dad we're coming!" Annie and her dad turns to look as Taylor runs to the pool fence, followed by their mom. He waits eagerly at the gate for their mom to open it.

"Taylor changed his mind, when he couldn't sleep and he saw you and Annie having so much fun, so he got me up to come down to." She explained putting her bag down. She and Taylor get in after a similar period of acclimatising to the water, in a similar way to Annie and her dad. "God its cold, but it'll be so nice in her when the weather heats up," her mom said, taking a little longer than Taylor to get used to the temperature.

They have swimming races, her parents against each other, and Annie and Taylor against each other. As Annie thought Taylor quickly, improved his swimming skills and there both again at the same swimming level. Even before the race between her and Taylor starts, she knows he'll win.

Annie keeps up with him at the start, but drops behind half-way, he touches the way and she manages to finish seconds behind him. "I win, Annie I'm the best," He said puffing out his chest and looking superior. "No you're not Taylor." She splashes him and they start a water fight. "OK, children that's enough, I think it's time we got home now, for breakfast."

Annie and Taylor take turns in the bathroom whilst their parents make breakfast. "So who wants to see where I start working tomorrow?" Her dad said. "Me!" Annie said, rising her hand. "Sure it might be fun." Taylor said in a more no committal way. "I guess that's set then, we'll head out and see the site."

Her dad drives since he knows the way, to the area that will be built on, it's fenced off, with barriers that only people with ID can pass through. Annie's dad shows his and drives through. "I it doesn't look much right now, and it might be hard to imagine what the estate will look like complete, but I assure you it will be a lovely place to live when it's finished," He said, loud enough to be heard over the noise of diggers and other machinery.

"What are the diggers and other vehicles doing?" Annie asked. "They're preparing the land so I and the other teams of builders can, come in and start to build the houses. The homes we're building, will be middle class to higher middle class," he said then adds. "There's also talk of at least one new school in the area, to cope with the increase in the population of the area, so I could have work round here, for a while which will be a good thing."

He points out where roads and some of the house plots will, be but Annie finds it too hard to imagine how things will look once development has finished, but she awed by the amount of land needed to build homes and thrilled that her dad will be a part of something that will lead to them having better lives.

The rest of Annie's summer is taken up by visits to her grandparents, trips to the beach. Her dad joins in the activities he can when he's not working, or later in the evening when he's finished for the day. Annie's parents also arrange new elementary school, places for them to go to. She enjoys a summer of fun, adventure and a new beginning for her family.

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**Thank you to all my followers and reviewers, the response so far that I've had has been amazing.**


	9. The Un-princely Prince

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

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**The Un****-****princely Prince**

Almost three years after moving to Morton, Finnick has become both parents to himself and his sister. His mom has become more unreliable in the last two almost three years, her decent into drugs caused her to lose her job at Mick's dinner, she'd forget, sleep or be out of her mind on drugs when she should have been working.

Finnick found out form speaking to Mick, he kept her on much longer, than she deserved, because she had two children to feed, but in the end, he was left with no choice but to fire her and find a more reliable employee. Out of guilt he still offers a once a week free meal to him and Breeze. If Finnick was spiteful, he'd have refused that meal a week but neither he nor his sister could go without the help, so they still go by.

Food and clothing have become harder to get hold of, most of their mom's money goes on feeding her own habit, so Finnick's had to take money out of her purse to cover, what he and Breeze need, he doesn't want to steal, but she agreed the money form him going to the neighbour would be spent on the two of them. The only way he can now ensure that happens, is by taking it off her again or not giving it to her in the first place. She's so bad with money, she no longer realises when any is missing.

Breakfast for him and Breeze is cereal without milk, they both count their selves lucky just to have that, he fills his drink bottle with water and puts it into his backpack, along with his school books and his library books that he needs to return before he leaves for the day.

Breeze is in her final year of day care, she one of the oldest kids still going as she only turned five after, the kindergarten cut off age. Now and he's a fourth grader, his next year will be his last, at Alan Jefferson Elementary School before middle school. Finnick leaves Breeze at the day care class for the last time and heads off to his own class. His morning is easy, his class get to play games, read and do art for the morning. There's no real work and they get out of school earlier than normal.

Finnick hates the holidays, for most children it's freedom and an escape for studies and learning, but to him and his sister it's the loss of a safe place to be. He and Breeze are already both counting the days until school starts again and he's preparing her early, to start walking to school after he finishes next year, it's dangerous walking around Morton and he wants her to be as well informed and alert to possible danger as she can. In the hope she won't get lost or hurt, on her own. He's taught her all about road safety and stranger danger.

He and Breeze, walk listlessly across the playground park, both have sunburn and cracked lips from too much sun and no adequate shade. "Do you want a drink Bo?" She nods. Finnick has two empty bottles he fills for them both, with cold water. He may not be able to get food as regularly as he'd like, but he always ensures they have at least tap water to drink.

They sit on the dry pale green turning brown grass in places, from the heat and the lack of rain, a recent weather report said the rain would come soon, but there seems very little sign of it and not a cloud in the sky. Unlike the other children they don't run round screeching and having fun, they haven't eaten in two days or seen their mother in as long.

When Breeze has finished drinking, she hands the bottle back for him to put away. They sit not talking due to lack of energy, under the shade of a tree, in the shorts Finnick made, using their old jeans and a pair of scissors. He wears a long t-shirt to hide his bruises and scratches, Breeze wears his old one's he grew out of. He'd like to give some girls T-shirts and pants or a dress, but he has little money and has to be very careful what he spends it on, with him starting school he'll have no option but to spend some on that.

Ashley bought him a watch for his last birthday, Finnick cried not just because he'd gotten a gift, for a change but because, his own mother never gives him or Breeze any, but Ashley who had no reason to buy him anything did anyway, she also bought Breeze a pretend make-up kit on her birthday. He looks at the time, it's long past Lunch. "Come on Breeze lets go home."

They walk much slower home; Finnick closes the door and turns on the TV. "You watch something OK, I'm going across the hallway, I'll be back soon, don't come over looking for me," he said resolutely. He hates the neighbour across the hallway and could have long since stop going but he and Breeze would both suffer worse if he did that, he doubts they'd have any money at all if he did that.

He can bear to steal money from his mom that should be for them anyway, but he couldn't bear to steal from anyone else, so he chooses to go across the hallway even though he hates it, he convinces himself it's no big deal and it's that or starve.

He knocks on his neighbour's door and waits to be let in, he enters silently saying nothing. These days he just allows the man to do what he wants, without beating round the bush. "I need new inhalers, these are running out." he shakes his blue one after taking a puff from it. "I'll take you to the pharmacy." They never say much to each other and Finnick doesn't ever stay longer then he absolutely has to.

Whilst his neighbour gets up and takes a shower, Finnick raids his cupboards and fridges for food, just enough to keep himself and Breeze going a while. His neighbour has lots and never complains when Finnick helps himself. He doesn't like to do it too often though, just in case he gets angry. He takes noodles and a can of soup enough for a few days if he makes it stretch, he tries not to take food from the man every week, and to try and rely solely on the money he's given.

His mom is behind on the rent, almost every month, the landlord is a friend of the neighbour who abuses Finnick. They're allowed to stay now, only as a favour to him. His neighbour returns from the shower dressed, he hands Finnick a five dollar note, he knows without looking, and that's what he makes every visit. Finnick doesn't quite understand why the man also pays for his inhalers, but he guesses the man dose it out of guilt or maybe in the hopes that it will keep him coming over. Finnicks never asked the exact reason and he doesn't really care as long as he continues to get them for him, he's afraid to go without.

The pharmacy simply don't care, who picks up what, Finnick's never been, with his mother but they always hand over his prescription, as long as someone's willing to pay for it and has his repeat prescription form. "There you go," his neighbour said. Handing over the paper bag, so he can check his ordered inhalers are the right ones. He'd normally thank anyone doing something kind for him, but he's never said thank you to his neighbour.

"Sorry I was gone so long. I went to get my inhalers, but I'm back now with food." At the words with food Breeze runs over, completely forgiving of his longer absence. "Food, you're the best Finn-Finn, I'll eat anything and won't complain." Breeze is very good about food and is never picky, especially if she's been hungry for a while, not that they get a large range of choice anyway. "Great, I have a choice soup or noodles?" Breeze sticks her tongue out, in thought and makes a face as she thinks. "Noodles please Finnick, I'll get us drinks and forks." He's not as nervous about using the cooker, as he first was and cooks with greater confidence.

He could split the noodles in half, but he'd only have to wash two bowls and he can trick Breeze into eating more than him, without her feeling guilty about eating the most. They finish their food and Finnick cleans up the apartment as best as he can, moving anything he doesn't want his sister to get her hands on, the loose drugs, lighters and anything else carelessly left around it's become second nature for him to do this and to put anything he finds in his moms room. She told both of them not to go in there and Finnick's always careful to keep his sister out, and to remind her never to go in, but he takes the rick himself when she's not in.

Nearly a week after he last saw his mom, Finnick arranges for Breeze to go to her friend's house for the day. He wouldn't want to discuss his issue with many people, his moms absence longer absence is starting to concern him and has decided, he can only do that with Ashley, she has always been good at keeping his secrets. He goes to her apartment after seeing Breeze off. Her friend's mom agreed to pick her up and drop her off again in her car.

Ashley opens her door to him. "Hi Finnick, what do you need?" He stalls a minute, not sure how best to word his situation. "Have you got time to talk?" "Sure, I'm not off out anywhere yet for a while." Finnick sits with her on her sofa; she waits for him to start the conversation. He lets out a frustrated sigh. "Mom hasn't come home yet, she normal goes away sometimes but never for mom than three days, it's been almost a week, since I've seen her and I don't know what to do." Ashley gives him a sympathetic look.

"She can't keep doing this to you, it isn't fair on you and your sister," Ashley's silent for a while. "If she's not back by tomorrow, I'll call the child protection services, they'll help." Finnick's breathing speeds up and he starts to panic. "No, not them, they'll take my sister away, they'll separate us," he said afraid. "I don't think they do, not always, I think they try and keep brothers and sisters together. I don't see what else can be done, she always leaving the two of you alone, making you clean and wash up like a male Cinderella." She lights a cigarette and moves away from Finnick, closer to her open window.

He wants to tell her about the man across the hallway to, but he's certain she'd call child protective services. Ashley's angry enough as it is without adding more. "If your sure, it's the best thing to do, I just don't know what's right anymore," Finnick said, she gives him a hug. "I'll come by tomorrow before you go to bed, if your mom hasn't appeared, I'll make the call this can't continue Finnick." he nods sadly "OK" He leaves her apartment unsure if it'd be best for him mom to come home or not.

The next day Finnick gets up, with his insides writhing like a mass knot of snakes, the apprehension and fear over whether Ashley, will need to and keep her promise, to call the protective services if she doesn't show up. "Finn-Finn, can we have breakfast today?" Breeze asked, knowing it's not always a possibility for them. He nods tentatively; it's not breakfast that makes him uncertain, but his mother. He knows he can't stall and stay in his bedroom all day with his sister, at some point he has to find out if his mom came back.

Finnick takes a deep breath and opens the bedroom door, into the living room. "Mom!" He shouted, wanting to get over with. There's no reply to his call, he tries to steady his rapid heartbeat and to control his breathing, before the stress brings on an asthma attack. _No answer doesn't mean she isn't here, she could be sleeping or out of it. _He thinks to himself.

He walks purposefully and opens his mom bedroom door in one swift motion. His chest tightens and the little hope he had fades, into non-existence. She's never been trustworthy since their dad died. He's angry at himself for having even the smallest hope she'd return, the angry part of him wants to run down to Ashley and tell her to just make the call. He turns to go downstairs and do it, meeting Breeze gaze.

Pain and hurt floods through him, but the sight of his sister looking up to him, stops him running form the apartment. He forces himself to be calm and even to put on little cheer, even if it feels false to him. "Right..Breakfast, yes!" He took a pack of variety box cereals, the ones with enough in for just one bowl. Finnick wouldn't buy them due to them being expensive, when he dose buy cereal it's the cheapest largest box he can get. Since they came for the neighbour he and his sister get to choose, what they like for a change.

Finnick gets the pack out the cupboard and removes the cellophane, crinkling it into a ball and tossing it into the bin, then sets out the boxes on their table. "OK you pick, first we have no milk though, so I'm afraid they'll be dry and out the box." Breeze shrugs; breakfast is usually a milk free affair, so it's no big deal to either of them.

She looks longingly at the coco pops and then pushes the box closer to him. They don't get much chocolate and usually, they split what little they've had over the years between them. "You can have them you know, if you want them?" He said being a good big brother. "No their yours, I'll have she Frosties," she said taking the box. "OK then your choice." She struggles with her box, so he takes it from her and press his thumb though the perforation, with a pop and opens the lid, he opens the small plastic packet and passes the box back.

They eat breakfast whilst watching TV. It looks like another warm day outside. "OK let's get dressed and go out." He said to Breeze she nods. He gets showered dried and dressed and then helps Breeze to do the same, although she better at it herself, he still offers help if she needs it.

Going to the park wasn't just an idea he came up with, because of the good weather. He's hoping to avoid any possible conversations with Ashley; if he and Breeze aren't in she can't ask anything. Finnick tries his best to keep Breeze in the park as long as he can. Eventually she gets bored and he has to take her home.

"Is mom back?" Breeze asked, as they get back to the apartment, he frowns she'd long since stopped anything about their mom, so it comes as a surprise to him, that she'd ask now. "Look!" she points and he follows the direction. Sure enough their mom's car that had been gone days is back. He no longer pays attention to whether his mom's car's parked up or not, but today he's lifted by the sight of it.

"Come on lets go check!" He said trying and failing to fight the eagerness in his own voice. He runs in and upstairs with Breeze back to their home, he throws the front door open. "Mom?" Even he smiles as he sees her back, but it quickly turns to a frown.

There's a man sat on the sofa with his feet on the wonky TV stand, watching TV with her, like he belongs in their home."Finnick, Breeze welcome home, I hope you two haven't been up to any trouble. Come and meet Toby Prince, he's your new dad," she said excitedly.

Looking at Toby, princely wouldn't be the first thing you would call him, he's the most un-princely looking prince, compared to other men Finnick seen, Toby would be about average height or possibly just under, with greasy dark curly hair a pale completion and piggy eyes. He has the kind of look that would make Finnick cross the road to avoid him, if he were walking home alone or with Breeze.

Finnick stares dumbstruck; he's never seen the man before today. Breeze looks at him questioningly, he shrugs in response unable to verbally respond. "Don't stand their looking stupid, come say hello." He and Breeze approach the sofa cautiously. "Erm.. Hi, it's nice to meet you.. err Toby." He stands up for the sofa, Finnick backs away from him taking Breeze with him. "You'll call me dad!" Toby said clenching his fists. "Our dad's dead." Finnick blurts out, angry and appalled at having this new man appear, in his home and being told to call him dad.

He barely sees the fist coming at him, before he's on the floor and receiving a kick to his ribs. "I'm your new dad, I don't care about your dead one, you _both_ call me dad form now on." Finnick curls up holding his ribs; his eye's watering with the pain. Breeze cuddles him and looks close to tears, when he recovers enough; he stands and walks round to where Toby can see him. "Yes _dad_." He takes Breeze into their bedroom.

"Are you OK Finnick, did he hurt you?" Breeze asked, he sits still holding his ribs and gingerly lifts his shirt to inspect the damage, his ribs hurt bad and there's a yellow brown bruise, that he knows will darken by morning. "We have to be careful around him, don't go near him alone Bo, we can't trust him, you have to pinkie swear with me, you won't go near him, if I'm not there to protect you and that if you have to speak to him, and call him dad, you'll only say it, but never mean it."

He raises his hand with only his little finger sticking up, Breeze sits on his bed next to him. "I swear I won't go near him and I'll only call him dad if I have to," She said, after linking her little finger through his. "Good, I have a plan, we'll stay out of his way except, for when we really have to go near him and then, we'll get away from him as quick as we can." "Yes Finn-Finn," she replied.

Before bedtime, Finnick sneaks out taking Breeze with him. It's not hard to do his mom and Toby are out of it, on drugs, from the clear plastic bag by the television. "Come on, I just want to talk to Ashley a minute. "Breeze follows him out the apartment. He knocks on her door and waits for her to open it. She only just gets the door open, as he starts to talk. "Mom came home, so you don't need to make that call OK?" Ashley looks slightly sad. "I saw her car out front and presumed she'd returned, let me know if she ever goes off again," Finnick nods. "I will, I have to get back now, with Bo, it's bed time for us." "Night Finnick, night Breeze." Breeze gives her a small wave and then follows Finnick back upstairs.

Toby brings both good and bad with him, the good being that he has money, food, clothing and school equipment for after the summer is purchased. He isn't sent across the hallway to his neighbour in the remaining month before school. The bad Toby has a vicious and easily aggressive nature, he often beats Finnick, especially after drugs binges with Finnick's mom.

He's glad he doesn't yet have to make excuses at school, to cover his increasing number of injuries. He tries hard not to set his step-dad off into violet rages, but it's not easy to avoid doing. His mother also seems to be covering up her own bruises, with cheap make-up, when Finnick enquires about how they happened his mom, insists it was an accident, or she was just careless. He doesn't believe it though, he's heard them arguing and fighting, he convinced that she only married him because she no longer has a job and she either can't find or doesn't want another.

His ninth birthday heralds the end of summer and his return to school. Finnick's mom just proves how little she knows about him by, giving him a toy gun with pellets. If she really knew him, she'd know that he hates guns and anything that causes death, he wants to heal not hurt. He gives the gun to one of his friends, so that breeze doesn't get hold of it and do damage to herself or something.

Finnick stays home one afternoon, when his mom goes out to do the weekly shopping trip, with Breeze. Finnick's done many shopping trips both alone and with Breeze. Toby now provides enough money, for them to at least have the basics. He supposedly works as a car mechanic but Finnick doubts that, he thinks Toby steals cars and commits other crimes because he works odd times and not in regular shifts like a car mechanic should. Whilst his mom and sister are out, he takes time to sit and watch his medical shows in peace.

He would tell his mom that Toby's job is bad and wrong, but he doesn't to avoid being beaten and forced to go without what food they have. Finnick doesn't like the way things are, but he doesn't know what other option he has, only to go with, the way his life now is and to get on with at as his new normal.

His mom asked him to take care of the washing that at least hasn't changed for him. He gets everything ready, and takes his basket load down the laundry room. He's good at making sure he can do all the washing and get back for the start of his programme. He's putting his dried clothes back in his basket to take upstairs with five minutes until his show starts.

He stops as he reaches the landing to his floor, the neighbour form across the hallway, is stood in his open doorway. Finnick looks away from him and carries on to his door. "I haven't seen you in a while Finnick." The man said as though, making conversation about a relative that hasn't been round to visit in a while, but Finnick understands the true darker meaning of his words. It's been nearly a month since he last had to go back to him, Finnick takes his key out to open his front door, he plans on ignoring him and getting into the safety of his apartment as quickly as he can.

A hand closes on his mouth. "Don't scream or fight, I'm bigger and stronger than you." Finnick drops his washing basket and his neighbour kicks it into his own apartment. He wriggles and tries to break free, he doesn't want to be hurt by the man anymore, but he isn't quick enough, or strong to stop his neighbour, he's carried into the apartment and the front door kicked closed with a bang.

"Fight me and I tie you up," he's had enough of being used and abused. He thrashes around determined to break free and escape. Finnick fights, bites and scratches drawing blood and leaving marks, someone _will_ ask what the man has been up to. His neighbour has no children of his own, but now his face and arms will be covered in marks only a child could have inflicted. He smacks Finnick hard on the head causing him to blackout, when he comes too he's gagged naked and tied to his neighbours bed face down. He cries and screamers with pain, but his screams are muffled and no one will hear him.

Once his neighbour finishes he leans close to Finnick's ear, "I'm going to let you go now, tell no one what's happened, or I kill your sister, there's no point in screaming anymore." Finnick just wants to get out and be gone, away from the man. His gag is removed and his hands release from the belt that was used to bind them. He sore and feels injuries he doesn't remember getting.

As soon as he can move, he grabs his jeans and puts them on haphazardly while making his way to the front door, his hands shake so badly as he fumbles with the door lock to get out. He opens his own apartment door with his key still round his neck and slams it shut locking it.

He sobs uncontrollably and throws up in the bathroom, he sits on the cold bathroom tiles. It takes him a while to realise he's only wearing his jeans and the washing is still across the hallway in his neighbour apartment he has no intention of going back for any of it, even if it cost him another beating by Toby.

Sometime later there's a knock at the door, he's too afraid to go and see who it is, he stays curled up on the bathroom floor, listing to the steady drip of the tap. He stands painfully and slowly walks back to his front door, whoever knocked has gone but he opens the door a crack with the chain still on.

He sees no one in the hallway, as he's about to close the door he spots something white on the floor. The washing basket, he opens the door just wide enough to pull it in. His inhalers rest on top of the basket. He closes the door and locks it again and leaves the washing by the kitchen counters, taking only his inhalers.

In the bathroom Finnick observes the new wounds on his body, an awful bruise to his forehead, swollen lip puffy eyes, bride blood that looks like it might have come from his nose. He looks a sorry state and he's not sure what hurts him the most. Finnick turns away from th mirror and the ugly sight, of his fresh injuries.

Finnick lies on his bed wishing he was dead with his dad, he cries more until he falls asleep. Pounding at the front door jolts him awake he sits upright. "Finnick open the damn door!" It's his mom. He walks back to the door in too much pain to run and opens it. "Finally," she said entering with Breeze. "What the hell's up with you? You look like crap" "Don't feel good, I'm going to bed," he said.

"I'll just put the takeout here, it's yours if you want it. His mom leaves a pizza box on the floor at the foot of his bed, after following him into his room. Finnick curls up paying no attention to it or her, he just lies facing the window hugging his knees. His mom leaves, muttering "ungrateful bastard," and saying nothing about his lack of clothes or any of his fresh injuries. He drifts into sleep and out to gain some respite from his despair.

When he wakes he's groggy. Every part of him that hurt, has been reduced to a dull throb or ache. He has no idea of the time and it's too dark to see his watch. "Get out you evil devil," he hears Toby scream. Finnick rolls over in his bed, trying to ignore it until he notices Breeze isn't in hers. He gets up fast, despite his stiff limbs, his own pain forgotten and runs for the bedroom door.

He just gets out in time to see Toby hit Breeze hard with his fist. After Toby came to live with them Finnick took a piece of metal pipe and hide it under his bed, in case of emergency, in his rush to get to Breeze he forgot to pick it up. She falls to the floor hard.

Toby's eyes are wide and dilated; he's taken something and turned violent again. He starts to kick Breeze on the floor. "Die devil Bitch." Toby screams as he kicks her. "No, leave her alone stop, Please, Mom Help!" He runs and covers as much of Breeze as he can with his own body and takes the blows meant for her. Toby pulls him up off his sister. Finnick shoves him hard with one hand, but it does little, when he gets his other arm free of Toby's grip, he pushes him away from his sister hard with both hands, finding strength more than an injured child should have.

"You want to die first little shit," Toby shouts. He throws Finnick face fist at the kitchen counter, he turns dizzy and feels warm sticky blood coming for a cut above his eye, near the ruise he already has, struggling for breath and on the verge of an asthma attack. Toby looks ready to charge at him, but he doesn't see Breeze who crawls over to him and sinks her teeth into his ankle. He bellows in pain and rage. "I'll kill both of you bastard brats." He gets free of Breeze and aims a kick at her head.

Finnick manages to suck air in form somewhere. "Help call the police, he's trying to kill us, he's going to kill us. Murderer! "He shouted louder than he ever has in his life, as his sister eyes close. Toby aims another kick at his sisters already bleeding head.

Breeze needs him fast,no more than she has ever before. Finnick stands up, using the kitchen counter for support, ignoring his own pain. He grabs the kitchen knife in desperation and runs, straight at Toby whose full attention is locked on his sister and kicking every part of her that he can, like a piece of trash in the street.

Finnick no longer cares for himself, just saving his sister, form a terrible onslaught she doesn't deserve. He stabs Toby in the back, he howls, Finnick stabs again, Toby falls to his knees making him almost Finnick size, Toby still tries to fight but Finnick's rage makes him faster. He aims this time for Toby's neck. He's read enough on biology to know the important main arteries run through a person's neck and keep them alive. Even after being stabbed twice, Finnick knows the longer he lets the man hurt his sister the more damage he's doing.

He doesn't hesitate and plunges the knife as deep as he can into the side of Toby's neck and pulls it backward towards himself. Blood fountains from the cut, in an unreal movie type way. Toby falls to the floor this time and twitches as blood pools around his open neck wound. Finnick's only concern is his sister, he pulls her away for the blood and screams desperately. "Someone please helps us!" He lifts his sister's pyjama top and presses his ear to her chest, to listen to her heart, like doctors on TV do. He can't hear a pulse or her breathing.

Finnick leaves her momentarily to get the phone; he dials nine, one, one. As soon as he hears a voice on the other end of the phone he starts talking. "Please help us, my step dad tried to kill my sister, she not breathing, I can't hear her heart, I have to do CPR." He puts the phone down by Breeze.

Last year at elementary school, his class had a special first aid and CPR training. As far as he was concerned it was the best class he had all year. Finnick got certificates for both his first aid and CPR with the highest mark possible.

He checks his sisters airways are clear and starts chest compressions. "One..two..tree." and give his sister, rescue breaths like he was taught. As he starts his second lot of chest compressions, he shouts his address and hopes the lady on the other end of the phone can hear him, whilst counting in his head.

That night he won't be the only person, to call the emergency services, almost everyone within ear shots. Of his screams for help make their own calls to the emergency services for help, all of them would give slightly different versions of what they hear, but the main message is repeated would and clear. Two children are being attacked by an adult in an apartment and need help.

There's always trouble and the sounds of sirens in Morton, but that night they send the closest police car and ambulance to assist Finnick and his sister. The blue lights and sirens of the emergency vehicles, race to the apartment building as he continues chest compressions and breathing for his sister. "One..two…three," he continues to count, focused on her and her alone.

* * *

**This has been another hard chapter and I know Finnicks had things very bad, but they will get better.**


	10. Late Night Call

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

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**Late Night Call**

The phone rings, Macy rolls over and sighs, after a long day, the last thing she needs is disruption to her sleep. If she were anyone else, maybe she'd unplug the phone and ignore it, but late night calls to Macy are usually of the highest of importance and the well-being and safety of children depend on her taking the call.

She looks at the clock but sees nothing but blurred blue light. She reaches he hand out to the bedside table and pats around quickly to find her glasses case, she put them on and the blue number jump into focus. She picks up her phone and presses answer, after more rings than she'd usually leave.

"Hi Macy, I know you've had a hard day, but it's going to be a long night I'm afraid. A terrible situation has occurred, a case has come up and a request has been made for you to take this one." As Ian on the night shift speaks to her. Macy gets a pen and note book form inside her bedroom draw.

"OK what do we have? What's the situation? Then I'll decide if I take the case or not." She said suddenly alert and ready for what comes next. Macy works for the child protection services as a specialist case work. Her job involves only the most serious, cases or neglect and abuse, but recently with increasing poverty and welfare issues in Morton. Her bosses have tried to put less serious cases her way, to lessen the work load of others. Although she understands the necessity to help all children who need it, she's had to make difficult decisions and reject some of the lesser cases, and insist on sticking to helping the children in the worst situations, to give them more focussed attention and more of her time.

She knows tonight though that something very serious must have happened, late night calls only signal the worst situations. "We don't have all the information at the moment, I'm afraid. This case from Morton has gone big; the media are all over it like cockroaches. It's gone national and the police are trying to keep details from the press before they're actually ready to release them. I'll give you what I have." Macy doesn't like the sound of that, anything attracting national media from more places than Morton it's self has to be extremely bad. Morton is a deprived area where, there's always something going on, even serious crimes only normally attract local attention. She braces herself for the rest of the information.

"Apparently there's two children involved, they've been attacked by their step dad, I'm not sure exactly what's happened, but he's dead the two children are a young girl of five and her nine year old brother have been taken to the local hospital for treatment, for injuries. There's a team at the hospital waiting to give you more details but that's all I have, they won't give any more to anyone other than you."

On the face of it, there's little for her to go off, but Macy knows better than to write it off and hand to someone else. "I'll make my way to Clayton general hospital; I'll get there as soon as I can." She ends the call, so that she can get ready and leave her house.

It's half past twelve in the morning. Macy showered before and hoped of an early night, at just after ten in the evening, she knows she won't sleep again for some time. it's important to get working on priority cases as soon as she can, so she decides not to waste time showering again and to just dress and go, with her brief notes.

She's out of her home in five minutes and in the car, without make-up or even a coffee. Macy debates putting on the radio as she drives, but decides against it, she doesn't want to be taking in false information, form anything she might hear, so she drives silently with only the sound of her car engine and other traffic.

As a specialist case worker, Macy works not just with children and families from Morton, but the areas around it, most of hers cases are from Morton though. She might work in the Morton offices, but she hates to admit, to only wanting to spend whatever time she must there. Her home is on the outskirts of Clayton and she drives to work and back with locked doors and shut windows even in the height of summer.

The nearest hospital to Morton is on the other side of Clayton, so she still has quite a drive. Almost every traffic light seems against her and changes red, but the roads are empty, so she still makes quite good time. Macy attaches her ID to her blazer jacket gets out of her car and makes her way into the hospital from one of its lesser used sentences away from the front where the media circus usually sets up. She finds out where she has to go from a receptionist.

Once she's found her way and been give the final few directions, at a second reception desk she was told to stop at, she ends up at a room that's being used as a meeting room. She enters to find two doctors waiting and a police lieutenant she recognises and is relived, that he's one of the few dedicated one's left in Morton, any investigation will be handled well by his team, he's not known for tolerating screw ups. Macy shows her ID and takes a seat.

"My names Macy from children's protection services, I remember you Lieutenant Gainsbury." The other two doctors announce their selves. "I'm Doctor Carter, Finnick's Paediatrician." The young female doctor said, shaking hands with Macy. "I'm Doctor Ellis Finnick's psychiatrist."

"Now we're all here, I'll explain the situation as best as I can, but the details are vague because I haven't been able to talk with Finnick yet, and he's the only person who can tell us what happened in his apartment tonight, but I haven't been able to question him." Macy nods. It's for the best, police officers are often more used to questioning adults than young children and extra care needs to be taken, with them.

"Just after eleven o'clock in the evening, a distressed call was made for a young child I believe was Finnick, he said his step dad was trying to murder him and his sister. We received other calls from the same apartment building, suggesting that children were in danger. The officers I sent found the young boy Finnick, struggling to breath and after trying to revive his sister with CPR. He was carried out of the building and sat in a police car, whilst a second ambulance came to treat him. The step-dad was found with stab wounds, which Finnick claimed he made, whilst trying to protect his sister." Macy takes notes and the officer stops she that she can have time to keep up.

"Doctor Carter and her nurses treated Finnick and photographed his injuries, she informed me that he'd been subjected to a recent serious sexual assault, as well as being violently attacked, but so far I haven't been able to ask who might have done that, I do have specially trained officer waiting to talk to him, to try and understand that, which we'll do as soon as we are allowed to. Finnick's mother wasn't home at the time of attack, but my officers have taken her for questioning, to work out why she left her children in the middle of the night."

"What's happened to Finnicks sister? I've heard a lot about him, but not her." Her question is answered by Doctor Carter. "I'm afraid she died, of a severe brain injury, nothing Finnick did could have helped her." "Does Finnick know?" Macy asked "I've talked with Finnick, he's obviously in shock, but he understands. I think he knew even as he was trying to save her," the psychiatrist answered.

"Is Finnick well enough to be spoken too? I know it's early and he's probably tired but if we could get a few more details form him it'd really help." She looks to the doctor Carter. "Finnicks asthma is playing up and stress is currently making it worse for him, if he's awake though and not to tired, you could ask a few questions but not many," Macy nods again. "OK, I'd like to go and see Finnick."

"I just have one issue you need to be made aware of" It's Doctor Ellis said. "Finnick is extremely terrified of males, The first paediatrician who tried to treat Finnick, had to give his care to Doctor Cater because he was trying to fight, I believe it's due to the violence suffered at the hands of his step dad and whoever has sexually abused him. Now he has an all-female team to treat him. Until he's well enough to start having therapy, to help him, got though his issues. Before she leaves the meeting room Macy prepares a folder and writes Finnick Richardson in marker pen on the white lined label on the side.

One of the doctors takes her to Finnick's room, he's been put in a separate from other children, so that he can have some quiet, privacy and his own space. The sliding glass door is open and the lamp over his bed is turned on, casting the boy in a bright patch of light, in the otherwise dark room.

Macy takes a minute to get her emotions in check, the walks through the open sliding glass door. He's sat in his hospital gown, under his blue blanket with his arms wrapped round his knees, staring forward into nothing, he has stitches in a cut over his eye and it swollen up and purple and black, he's pale and must have suffered terribly.

As Macy enters she notices him shaking. "Finnick's had a nebuliser, it gives people the shakes for a little while after," the nurse said quietly, from behind her. Macy still suspects his shaking is partly fear and shock induced, which would be understandable for what he's been through. "I'll be outside if you need anything Finnick," She said to him. Before leaving him and Macy together she pulls the door closed behind her.

There are two chairs by Finnicks bed, Macy takes one and pulls it round a bit so that she can sit facing him. "Hello Finnick, my name is Macy. I'm here to help you, I'm from the child protective services," she said softly, for a couple of minutes after she introduces herself, there's only sound of the boys wheezing breaths. "Is my sister really dead?" He asked finally not looking at her but continuing to stare into space. "I'm afraid so, I'm sorry Finnick, there's nothing I can do to change that, but I can try and help you now." Macy thinks he nods, but it could also be a shake form his medicine.

He turns his head mechanically to look at her. "Why haven't I been arrested, I killed him?" He asked in a quiet monotone. "He killed your sister and nearly you too. What you did is called self-defence, which means you only fought to, save yours and your sisters lives. No one's going to arrest you or put you in prison for that." Whether her answer puts him at ease or she can't tell.

"Will I have to go back to my mom?" he asked. "I don't know just yet, but not until I know if you'll be safe or not. Do you want to go back to her?" Finnick looks even more frightened, if it's possible. "Please don't give me back to her, she didn't look after us, I'll end up dead like my sister if you give me back." He starts to cry and his panic makes his breathing worse.

"Nothings certain Finnick, please calm down your making yourself ill. Can you tell me why you don't want to be with your mom, what has she done?" She takes out her pen, he seems uncertain or confused. "What kind of things has your mom done, to make you not want to go back to her?" He reaches for a plastic cup of water on his bedside table, he still very shaky, so Macy holds it while he takes a few sips.

Finnick looks at her with less fear and more determination she respect what she sees in him. "We never knew when we were going to eat. Sometimes we'd have to wait a day or more for food, my school meal was sometimes my only one and usually I saved some for my sister. She takes drugs form the man in the park, and sometimes hits me. We don't always have clothes to wear for the season, I had to cook and clean, I don't think my mom knows _how_. I used the cooker at six by standing on a chair, I even did the laundry. In the last couple of years, she's taken more drugs, lost her job; she often disappears for days, leaving us with no food and no idea if she'll come back." He rests a while as his chest wheezes heavily.

"Mom never makes it to anything at school, not swimming, singing or anything. She married that evil man and never said or did anything to stop him, when he hurt us, she just said I shouldn't make him angry, which didn't take much. I don't trust her anymore and if you send me back to her I'll run away, I mean it, I'm better off alone than with her." He stops like he's finished but he bites his lower lip and looks away like there's more he's afraid to speak of.

"You're doing well Finnick and you're being very brave, but if there's more, you have to tell, I can only help if I know what _all_ the problems you've been through are." She waits and gives him time to find the courage and the breath to go on. He doesn't look at her but takes his blanket in his and pulls it anxiously. "I came to the hospital when I was six with my asthma, I had to stay in, I was allowed out again, but my mom couldn't pay the bill." Finnicks voice trails off.

Just when she thinks he won't finish what he intended to tell her he shrugs. "My mom sold me." his words are so quiet, Macy is sure she must have misheard something. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite get what you said, could you say it again only a bit louder?" He turns to look her full in the eyes. "My mom got money form the neighbour, he likes boys and she took his money and let him touch me and do things." Of everything Macy expected, that revelation wasn't one of them. She known parents to do some low and despicable things in her time, but it's the first time she's ever heard of a mother selling her child for sex.

Macy would like to think the boy is mistaken somehow, but the doctors did find evidence of a recent sexual assault. "Whenever my mom couldn't pay the bills, or she'd spend her money on drugs, she'd send me back to him. She told me it was my special job." Macy feels truly sick, in most circumstances, she likes parents to maintain some kind of contact with their child, but she'll do whatever it take to make sure Finnicks mom has no more contact with him, if it's proved that she willingly sold him. "The last time though, the in morning Toby attacked my sister, he garbed me, knocked me out and tied me to his bed with a belt. He hurt me." Finnick cries and Macy soothes him. "He won't ever get you again, you're safe now," she said, she gives him more time again before continuing.

"Finnick do you know the man's name? Which apartment exactly does he live at?" Finnick thinks "He told me his name, but I just call him neighbour, I can't remember what it was. He lives in the middle apartment straight across from us. Sometime I had to go to him by myself when our mom left us without food and clothes, so I could buy it for us or take it from him." She's truly horrified by how both Finnick and his sister were failed by their mother.

"Do you mind, if I just go and talk to the policeman? We need to make sure the man is caught, so he can't hurt anyone else," Finnick nods. Macy leaves him and finds the lieutenant at the coffee machine outside the room their meeting took place. "Can I have an urgent word, in the meeting room please?"

Macy closes the door "You need to arrest, the neighbour directly across the hallway form where Finnick lived. He told me his mother sold him to pay the medical bills after his first asthma attack, and then continued, to pay for the children food clothes and drugs for herself." The officer almost chokes on his coffee. "Are you serious, his mother sold him?" I'll have my offices keep her for more questions then, I'll go and see about this neighbour personally, and have his home searched by forensics for evidence."

She'd like to ask more questions about what's happened to him the last few years, but he's sleeping on her return. She pulls his blankets up and tucks him in, then turns off his lamp and settles back into the chair by his bed, to keep watch over him, like his mother should have.

Finnick mother failed her children, but Macy won't she'll do everything in her power to see that, he has the best future possible, but right now she sits waits and watches over him as he sleeps almost soundlessly save for the wheezing and crackling of his chest.

* * *

Annie gets up early on her birthday and goes into the living room, full of excitement about what goodies; her ninth birthday will bring her. Annie sits on the sofa and turns the TV on low, the twenty-four hour news channel is on, her parents must have watched it before going to bed last night.

"We now bring you back to the terribly tragic story, of the Morton Two, we're going to go live to our correspondent who's out their now getting the story for us," The anchor women said. The view changes from being in the news studio, to the correspondent stood on a street across from an apartment building, she recognises Mick's dinner.

She's never seen anywhere she's personally known on the news before, not necessarily because there hasn't been news form near where she's lived, but because she often doesn't pay attention. However her attention is caught, by seeing a place she actual knows and has been to. Annie changes form sitting on the sofa to sitting on the floor close to the screen, so she can hear better without turning up the sound.

"It's a bleak picture being revealed here In Morton this morning. For a town so used crime, the residents here, are still in deep shock at the occurrences overnight. What we know is that last night a brother and his sister were attacked by their step-farther, in what's rumoured, to have been a drug fuelled rage. In an attempt to stop the brutal attack, we've been told and this _has_ been confirmed now, is that the nine year old boy in a bid to stop the attack stabbed and killed his step-father," the correspondent said. Annie can't believe her ears.

"Do you have any updates for us?" The reporter in the studio asked. "Yes, I can now give you an update about the children involved in this tragic story, we've just heard the little girl who lived at the apartments just across the road, known as Breeze sometimes called 'Bo' aged five and was and due to start in Kindergarten next year, has died of a fatal brain injury. Her older brother who we're told turned nine just days ago and who isn't being named, is said to still be at the hospital receiving treatment, he's said to be in a stable condition but suffering from shock and other medical issues, which we're told are serious but not life threatening. He's now said to be in the care of the children's protective services and is helping police as best as he can with their inquiries.

Tributes are already being laid, by those in the local area how knew the girl. I'm told that Breeze and her brother, who used to come over here, to Mick's dinner once a week, they are both being described as quiet, polite, well liked children. Who could often be seen playing around the dinner and in the nearby park."

The children's mother has been arrested on suspicion of child neglect and in a further twist to the storey; the neighbour that lives across the hallway has also been arrested, not in connection with Breeze death but on other charges. The police aren't yet commenting on, his home is also being searched by forensic officers."

Annie's having a hard time believing any dad or even step-dad, would ever hurt a child they were supposed to look after. The excitement, she felt as she got up has been replaced by shock, devastation and confusion. She has no idea what to do, she can't imagine ever having to pick up a knife and stab an adult, let alone a dad or step-dad. She has no idea what to feel about the boy who stabbed him, she's just the same age him today.

All of her emotions well up and overflow, she runs to her parents room crying. "Annie, what's up? We didn't forget your birthday, it's not time yet," her dad said, trying to roll over and sleep again. Annie gets on the bed wanting to be close to her parents. "What is wrong with you Annie? Is there a spider somewhere?" It takes Annie a couple of minutes, to gain enough control to speak, her mom sits up and holds her.

"Their saying a nine year old boy killed his step-farther with a knife, he killed the little girl and his mom's been arrested." What she wanted to say comes out garbled and all messed up. "What?" Her dad said turning over. "Where did you get this form?" "The news it's on the news? Is it really true?" She asked hoping her parents would tell her that it's a joke or a hoax. Her dad gets up, "I'll go see if I can make any sense of what Annie's saying, if it's still on the news."

Annie stays cuddled up to her mom. "What's going to happen to the boy now? Will the put him in prison, who'll look after and love him?" Her mom strokes her hair. "Shush Annie, everything will be all right, you probably just misunderstood or something, it's probably not what you think it is." Annie nods clinging to her mom's words hoping she's right.

Her dad returns sometime later. "Sounds like Morton is getting worse. A kid _did _kill his step-farther, form what they're saying about the guy, he was a no good violent car thief and petty criminal, who was permanently off his head on drugs. You ask me he should never have been allowed anywhere near kids, never mind left alone with them. They said the boy had no option but to stab the guy to try and save his sister, it's a terrible situation. The mother has been arrested for neglecting her kids and drugs apparently. Whilst her kids were being attacked and fighting for their lives, she was off buying drugs form the park."

Annie's mum tut-tut's "I'm glad we're well away from that place," she said pulling Annie closer to her, "What will happen to the boy?" Annie asked again. "According to the news he's in the care of children's protective services, hopefully his useless mom won't get him back again. If he's lucky he'll be put up for adoption and end up with a better family and a better future," her dad said. "Will the police not arrest him?" "No it's self-defence; he's not old enough to be charged with anything anyway."

"Right enough of this talk, it's your birthday young lady, none of us will be going back to sleep now, so we may as well get up and celebrate," her mom said. Switching on a cheery mood, Annie has no hope of replicating. "Do we have to, I feel sad?" She said, Feeling more tears in her eyes. "Annie bad things happen but life still has to go on, come on now." Annie follows them back into the living room, where her dad hastily changes the channel to kids' TV.

When her family are ready, and the presents have been found from where, they've been kept hidden, they all sit round Annie, but she has no enthusiasm and she can't keep her fake smile on her face. She starts crying again. "I'm sorry I can't do this today, it doesn't feel right. A little girl is dead and won't have another birthday." She runs to her room and lies down, her parents share a concerned look she doesn't see and Taylor's left confused, not having seen the day's news.

All Annie can think about is the boy and his sister, her over-active imagination doesn't help. Her parents let her rest a while and then insist that she opens her gifts, she manages with minimal enthusiasm but doesn't play with her gifts, she sits out on the balcony trying not to think of the boy and his sister on the news.

* * *

As soon as Finnick's able too he insists on helping the police and talking to the trained special officers brought in, to talk to him about the night in the apartment with his sister and the abuse his neighbour put him through. Macy thinks he copes well and he takes few breaks, for nebulisers and food he only picks at.

A dietician has been called to try and work out, a menu of food to bring Finnick weight back up to what it should be. Macy has a meeting with the police, to be brought up-to-date on further developments in the police investigation.

She stays with Finnick through the dietician's visit, while she quizzes Finnick on the types of food he's been eating, over the last few years and other kinds he likes and would be willing to eat. "Thank you Finnick, Macy can we talk outside?" his dietician said.

They leave Finnick in his room "Finnick's food issues are partly to do with losing his sister, he's sad and missing her which is only to be expected, plus his stomach he's become used to eating such small amounts, that building him up to appropriate meal sizes for his age will take a while. I'm going to arrange for him to have smaller meals more often, special milkshakes to help build him up again and to give him extra calcium, since he also has calcium deficiency. To help entice him to eat, he'll be given some noodles and soup, as part of each small meal except breakfast, because he's used to living mainly off those these last few years. He also need for iron rich foods. He won't be able to leave the hospital though, until he's a better weight," The doctor said. "OK thank you."

Macy goes back to Finnick "I have a meeting to attend Finnick, I shouldn't be too long, I'll be back before you have your tea. If you need anything let the nurses know." He nods and curls up like he intends to sleep again, Macy pulls his door to.

Inside the room they used for the earlier meeting Macy waits, for an officer to give her the morning update. There's a knock on the door and a police Sargent enters. "Macy I'm Sargent Dempsy." he takes out his note pad and clears his throat, to get down to business.

"Finnick's mom's denying any knowledge of abuse to her son. The neighbour Rob has been brought in; he first denied even knowing Finnick other than seeing him around playing sometimes. We found clothing, which possibly belongs to Finnick in his apartment. He also has some visible bite and scratch marks on him, he claims a kid at the community centre attacked him, but we're going to see if they match Finnicks teeth and samples taken from under his nails. He's refusing to give a DNA sample, but we're working on a court order to get it. Macy nods. "Good, let me know if you me any progress getting information or test results. Thank you for the update, if that's all I'll return to Finnick," She said.

"Finnick also said the man paid his mom, so she could pay his medical bills. A sum the exact amount required for his medical bills was withdrawn from his bank account, but he's currently claiming it was for work on his car. He's refusing to answer more questions. We'll have concrete evidence soon though and he'll have no choice but to confess. "Good, is that everything?" she asked the office "Yes for now," he replied.

When Macy returns to Finnick's room she finds it empty. She goes to the nurse's station nearby. "Has Finnick been taken somewhere? He's not in his room," The nurse frowns. "Maybe he wanted to stretch his legs a bit, we'll look for him." It takes a few minutes for Macy and the nurse to locate him in the school room.

The school room doubles as a play room, Finnick's sat by himself at a table, writing or drawing. He's working on a sheet of math problems as she approaches him. "You know you don't have to do any school work right?" His big bright green eyes are pinkie red from crying. "When I need to make the bad thoughts go away, I work; it's what I did at school and home to." "I bet you're really smart then, aren't you?" He nods. "I skipped a grade I'm supposed to be in my last year of elementary school this year." Macy makes a mental note of that, and his workaholic nature.

It's nearly time for tea, we can take some work back to your room if you like. He nods and goes to talk to the lady running the playroom; she gives him more sheets to work on. Macy helps Finnick back into his bed in time for his tea. He's served a small amount of noodles, some mixed vegetables and a battered strip of chicken and a carton of milkshake.

He shakes his milkshake and pierces the foil circle on top, with his straw, he takes a long drink. "Is it nice?" She asked him "Yeah and cold too, it's chocolate my favourite." He's not exactly happy but the milkshake seems to have perked him up a bit.

Finnick eats his noodles but picks at the rest of his food. "You know you're not allowed out, until you're eating properly and you've put on enough weight." he huffs and makes a little more effort. He finishes about half of his food. "I have to go home tonight, but someone else will stay with you over night," He looks quite sad. "I'll be back tomorrow I promise." He looks like he doesn't much believe it. "I'll leave my phone number with the nurses, so that if you do need me they can call for you."

She stays with him until her colleague get there to replace her. He doesn't cry when Macy leaves for the night but he looks sad, "Ok Finnick, I'll see you tomorrow." He doesn't reply, she wouldn't leave if she didn't have too but she has to sleep herself.

She's exhausted when she gets home, but makes a few calls to check on how her colleagues are doing, with arrangements for Breeze and to have a meeting with Finnick's old principal to discuss how he did at school, and to find out if any of his teachers ever had concerns for his welfare and if they did, we're they ever reported and what happened as a result..

It's late by the time she gets to bed and she knows the next few weeks and months will be hectic for her and Finnick. She doesn't mind though. Its tough helping kids like Finnick and not all have bright futures, but she hopes the strength Finnick seems to possess will help him get the life he deserves to live.

* * *

**Another chapter down, please continue to let me know what you all think.**

**Tanks to my new guest reader and all my continuing supporters!**


	11. My Breeze

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

* * *

**My Breeze**

Annie's mom spoke to one of her friend's mom's in the apartment block, despite trying not to let what happened to the boy and his sister get to her, she was still sad and having trouble focusing, on anything other than the boy and his sister form the news report.

Her mom's friend suggested taking Annie, taking her two counselling for a couple of sessions to help her get over, the shock and distress the news story gave her. At first her parents were reluctant to take her, believing it to be an overreaction to something seen on the news. But her mood and constant questions persisted, so they changed their minds after a long discussion hoping to; get her feeling better in time for her starting third grade.

Even after the first session Annie felt better. Now she sits in the doctor's office, for her second and what her parents hope will be the last therapy session, she will need. Annie sits on her seat swinging her feet. "Annie Cresta." The receptionist called. She gets up and heads to her therapists room.

"Good Morning Annie, how are you today?" "I'm fine thank you," she said closing the door behind her. "How has your first week, back at school been?" He asked. "Good, I think I'm concentrating better, or at least that's what my teacher told my parents, I definitely feel better, I don't think about the boy and his sister as much as I did." "Good, I wondered if you'd like to try something else for today's session, I thought you could write a letter to the little boy, I can't guarantee he'll reply, he may not feel up to it, but I could definitely send it to his case worker."

Annie likes the thought, that maybe she'd be able to do something nice, for the him. "OK I'd like that." Her therapist gets her a pen and a sheet of lined paper. "Try to stay away from mentioning, the details of what happened to him, but try and write something that might cheer him up a little."

Annie takes a while to consider what she should write; she discards two letters that she doesn't like before settling on the third.

_Dear Boy A__,__ (It sounds awful to call you that, so I'll give you a name, that I think suits you.)_

_Dear Jim, It's my dad's name, he's strong and brave and next to him, you're the bravest person I've heard of other than him__._

_My names Annie, I'm the same age as you and I can't imagine how you must feel right now, after everything, you've been through recently__.__ I have an older brother called Taylor, but I usually call him just Ty. He teases me sometimes, but he's a good big brother just like you._

_I was told to write something to try and make you happy again, I'm not sure if it's possible to do that, I hope one day soon you'll be able to smile again and be happy. If it was my brother instead of you, I'd want him to be able, to be happy again and to laugh and play. I guess you don't feel like it right now but hopeful you will again soon._

_The other night I saw a star in the sky, it wasn't the shooting kind, you would normally make a wish on. I wished any way, I wished you'd be happy again and be cared for and loved like you deserve._

_It was my birthday, the morning I saw the news and what had happened in Morton. I know it isn't much and it can't make the bad things go away, but please have my ten dollars birthday money. Use it to maybe buy something for your sister's funeral, like a teddy of flowers._

_Please keep being brave and find happiness in your life._

_Annie Cresta, age nine._

She carefully folds her letter and takes her cat purse that her parents bought her, for her birthday she finds the ten dollars she hadn't yet spent and puts it inside he folded letter. "I'm giving the little boy my birthday money. He needs it more than me," She said, to her therapist as she hands him the letter to put in an envelope.

"It's good of you to do that for him, I'm sure it'll bring him some comfort. Please remember Annie, being sad for the boy and his sister won't change their situation, it'll only affect _your_ life. He wouldn't ask you to be sad for _him_. It's all right to be affected by the news you see on TV, but please try not to let it take over your life." "I do think I feel better now thank you."

Annie returns to the waiting room, while her parents receive her therapist's final report. "Well Annie, we can go now, he thinks you're doing much better. He said your just more sensitive than most but it's not a bad thing. He also gave us advice about how to help you, if you ever become overwhelmed by any events on the news or in your own life, let's get home." He dad said. Her mom hugs her. "I'm proud of you for doing well, but let's hope we don't have to do this again," her mom said.

"Can I play in the pool when we get back?" Annie asked not having felt up to swimming much in the last week or so. "Sure, you can play for the rest of the afternoon. We'll all swim with you and have some much needed fun." Her mom said

* * *

Finnick sits in his room waiting for Macy, today he gets back some of the items the police don't need for evidence, he'll be able to look at photos and pick put any toys or clothes he wants, form the apartment.

He wasn't sure at first if he even wanted anything back, but Macy urged him to look anyway, she offered to sit with him whilst he looks through the photo. He's been mostly alone while arrangements for Breezes funeral are made and she has attend various meetings.

Time in the hospital seems to drag by, he hasn't worn anything other than hospital gowns, with different prints that he's sick of the sight of. His days have become tedious and monotonous, with only the school and play room for work and a break for questions for both the police and doctors.

The thought of leaving the hospital and going to either foster care or a Children's home scares him, but he's so sick of his hospital routine, that part of him would welcome the change. Macy walks into his room. "Your starting to look, much better, I'm told your physical injuries are healing nicely, and therapy is going slow but progress is being made, hopefully you should be able to leave her soon, but we'll talk more about that after you've identified anything you wish to keep from your old home." Finnick nods in little mood for speech.

He and Macey sits in silence, whilst waiting for the police to arrive; she has a good understanding of when he needs to talk and when he'd rather not. He takes a deep breath as the office arrives, with a bag on his shoulder. "Hello Finnick, I'm sure you were told about my visit here today and what we're going to do?" He nods again.

The officer takes a seat next to Macy's "I'll show you, the photos, you just point and nod at anything you want back, we can take as much time as you need. Each photo has a number underneath it, that's just for me to write down, to identify the exact item."

Macy pulls her chair closer to Finnnick's bed. He opens the first page, Finnick looks through, there's only clothes that belongs to him, he's about to shake his head, the he looks down at himself and realises he might be able to stop wearing hospital gowns all the time, he points to some of his t-shirts and his last two pairs of jeans, on the second page he picks out his old leather jacket that no longer fits and his underwear, all shown in the one photo.

In the last few pictures are toys and bedding, he ignores the bedding but has a harder time with the toys. Most are Breezes the only toy of his is the doctors case, which he picks out, his eyes blur as he tries to decide what to do with them.

"I want the cuddly lion; please give the rest to children who need them. The lion was my sisters favourite and a want to keep it for her, I got it with the toy vouchers I won, I want my pencil case with everything that was inside and the rest can all go." It doesn't feel like lot a lot of time has passed, so he's surprised when his Lunch is fetched too him, he hadn't realised how long it took him to look at so few photos, he must have spent a long time thinking about everything.

"Come on Finnick, eat your Lunch please and stop picking at it," Macy said. He looks at his plate but he's bored of his diet menu, he might be afraid of where he might end up, after the hospital. But having the same set meal plan, for each day of the week isn't helping him. Although he gets different food each day, he knows exactly what will be served to him on all the days of the week, he didn't so much mind at the start but several weeks in the hospital has left him longing for more choice.

"I have a letter for you; I've had to read it to make sure it's suitable. It was delivered to my office a week or more ago, but things are hectic in the office right now and I've only just received it, opened it this morning, I get lots of mail expressing good wishes for you, but I pick this one out to show you." Finnick's not sure he feels like reading it, he set there in slince.

"I could just tell you about it if you like Finnick?"Macy said. "OK, tell me about it." His lunch is unappetising and Macy's talking is taking his mind off his food, so he lets her talk as he eats. "It's from a young girl named Annie, she's the same age as you. She wanted to try and help you feel better and made a whish on a star for you, hoping you'd be happy again. She also included her birthday money, to add to the donations being made for you and your sister," Macy said.

Finnick thinks. "Can I write a thank you letter? She did something nice for me, lots of people are, I should at least say thank you to someone. I'd like Breeze to have flowers, I don't want anything for myself," he said. His thank you note is written with a blue pen borrowed from Macy, it's short and not as long as it would be under different circumstances.

_Dear Annie,_

_It's nice of you to think of me and to give your birthday money to help out. I didn't feel up to reading your letter, but my caseworker told me about it._

_My sister will have pretty flowers because of you. Thank you for being kind to us both._

_I'm sorry this letter short and late, but I wanted to write myself._

_Thank you F.S. Richardson._

Finnick writes his name in the same way his dad used to, sometime he would pretend to own his own company and make up his own forms, on his own letter headed paper. He'd stamp declined or rejected on the papers with his two different coloured stamps, after asking Breeze or the other members of staff to request something.

He remembers asking Breeze what she'd like to buy form his company, 'I don't know' she replied to him. "Congratulations you can get one I don't know, with this paper." He'd signed his name F. S. Richardson, stamped the paper with his blue accepted stamp and given it to his confused looking sister. Finnick also remember asking for a fired stamp, so he could fire the staff, if they didn't do what he wanted, his dad refused that. Finnick wipes away tears of the fond memory and give his reply to Macy.

"I'll write the envelope and the return address for you," Macy said, before changing the subject completely. "I know that that you're worried about what's going to happen after, you leave here and the doctors said that won't be long off. So I've fetched some information with me about fostering and Children's homes, I'll tell you about both and you can ask questions." "OK." Finnick will be glad to escape his memories for a while.

"We'll start with fostering, form all the feedback I'm getting, I don't think we'll be trying it as a first option just because your doctors and I don't believe that you're ready to go straight into a foster home. Don't worry about that though, we can place you in a foster home later on, when it's agreed that it's the right option." Finnick isn't bothered, either way it means living with strangers.

"A foster home is when children, who like yourself can't live with their parents, or they need to be temporarily looked after by someone else. Foster children would go and live at their home, either for a few months or a year or more, depending on each child's circumstances. We'd try and match you into home where the family had similar interests to yours; we'd sit together and you'd tell me about your likes and interests then put that on a database with a picture of you, so that foster families can see that you look like and see if they think you'd fit in. Some of those homes might already have other foster children or even some children of their own. Here's an example of the type of profile we'd set up for you."

She takes a sheet of paper for her bag, it has name, age and made up ones filled in and a vacant square in the corner titled 'photo' underneath that, is space for a description of the child hobbies and interests.

"It seems OK, I don't want more brother and sisters though, Bo's gone and I don't want more." "I'll make a note of that, and when the time comes I'll see what I can do." She said trying to reassure him, before going on to the other option.

"The one I'm looking at, for you is to place you in a children's home, I have some photos of what homes are like, but yours may be different to the one I'll show you. Homes are normally quite full and I wouldn't be able to get you a place, until I know exactly, when you can leave here, but this is an example of what a home is like."

She takes a folder from her bag. "These are some photos of children's home some of the other children I've worked with have been placed at. As you can see it looks like any other home for the outs side, just that it has a sign with the children's homes name on. The homes are run but two adults know the children as house parents, there's one male and one female." He looks through the photos at the children playing happily with the adults, the bedrooms are shared but other than that it looks pretty much like a normal home.

"Do all children share a room?" "Yes, they do but you'll be introduced to your room mate," Macey said. "What happens if a get picked on, or I don't like my room mate?" Finnick asked concerned. "You could tell your house parents and they'll change your room, or you can tell me but we'll only see each other once a week for updates, or if I'm needed for any reason." He's not sure what to make of it all so he just nods and accepts the situation.

"Is there anything else, you'd like to ask?"She said after a long silence, Finnick shakes his head. "OK, then I'll be able to give you more details of the home you'll be staying in, before I take you to it." He watches Macy leave and is thankful, to be alone again for a while without questions.

To save himself going crazy, Finnick insisted on having proper schooling, whilst in the hospital after boring of the work in the schoolroom which was much too easy for him. Macy arranged for a home tutor to come in and teach him, most days she comes in, in the morning, but today they moved his school session to the afternoon.

He works hard and likes his teacher Julia, she makes work fun and sometimes sneaks him candy. She rewards him after completing his work and getting good marks. He's glad he isn't missing out on his school work and is managing to stay a grade ahead of others his age.

One of the nurses brings him a bin liner with the clothes, cuddly lion, his doctor's case and the pencil case. "An officer asked me to give these to you," the nurse said. "Please put it in my bedside cabinet," he asked not wanting to look at the bags contents. "Wait," he said as the nurse was about to leave. Please could you take out the lion and give it to me?" He asked changing his mind. "Sure" she replied turning back to the cabinet, searching thought it, and then she passes him the lion and leaves.

By bedtime he's tired out, so much that he barely registers using the bathroom and curling up in bed with the cuddly lion that once belonged to his sister and still smells like her. When he sleeps his recurring nightmares, of the night in the apartment doesn't even come to trouble him. He sleeps so well.

* * *

After school one night, Annie's parents call her into the dining room. "A letter was delivered today for you," her mom said with a frown wondering, who'd send Annie a letter. Annie herself is just as curious and surprised. She takes it to her room to open privately, whilst Taylor's out playing with his friends.

The handwriting on the front envelope belongs to her therapist, she recognises. She opens the first envelope, to find a small note and another in closed letter.

_Dear Annie,_

_The letter in the second envelope is a reply from the caseworker of boy 'A' I think. I haven't read it but I hope its contents will bring you closure._

Her heart speeds up and thuds against her ribs, a good few minutes pass while she tries to decide if she should open the letter, or just put it away. She's done well not thinking of the boy, she puts the letter in her toy box at the bottom of her bed so she can keep it and decide later.

That night she dreams of the boy and wakes up sweating, both form the heat and the dream. She gets up and carefully removes the letter from her box. Taylor always sleeps soundly so she has little fear of waking him. She slips out of her room, into the living room, she put on one lamp by the sofa, not wanting to turn the main light of the room, just in case it disturbs any of her sleeping family.

The address in blue pen on the second envelope is the address her therapist works at. She takes a deep breath and opens the thin small envelope, inside is one small slip of lined paper that appears to have been torn from a note book. To her surprise the handwriting is different from the one on envelope; she reads the note several times, amazed that the boy wrote back himself.

Annie feels tears at the short, sweet letter from the boy, his handwriting is messy and not easy to read, but she's glad she managed to do something small for him that he appreciates. She folds the note careful back up and puts it back inside both envelopes.

She clicks the light off and puts the letter in the book she keeps on her windowsill next to her bed. In the morning so transfers the letter to her keep safe box, at the bottom of the toy box. She'll always be grateful for the boys reply, as the final piece she needs to move on.

* * *

On the day of Breezes funeral, Macy fetches Finnick a suit he was measured for; on one of her many visits to the hospital. He showers, dries and dresses in his bathroom. He feels odd wearing clothes other than his hospital gown.

He's not yet allowed to leave for more than just brief spell of exercise and fresh air, but his doctors agreed to let him out for Breezes funeral. His doctor wants him to stay in, until the end of the week at least, then a decision will be made based on how he's doing in therapy, how his asthma and how he's been doing with his diet plan. Finnick's confident about his asthma being better but he's unsure, if he'll have met the doctor's requirements on the other two, but he has been trying.

Macy and others at the child protective services planed Breezes funeral with input from Finnick. He outright refused to have his sister buried in Morton and would only agree to go at all, if she were buried next to their dad. It took a long time and Macy had to go through a lot of red tape, to gain approval for the plan, as Finnick was told after asking why everything seemed to be taking a long time. Finally the day has come for him to say good-bye.

He leaves the bathroom wearing his black pants, white shirt, black tie and shiny black shoes. "You look lovely Finnick. Shall we say, good bye to the nurses before we leave." "I guess so." He replied lacking his usual enthusiasm.

They stop at the nurse's station, Finnick gives a lacklustre wave. "See you when we get back," he said to all the staff working at the desk. Macy takes him out to the parking lot and gets him into the car. "I bet you feel cold coming out of the hospital, into this weather," she said. He does but he's used to being cold from not always having the right clothes to wear.

Breeze funeral has been paid for, both by the child protective services and kind donations from others like Annie, who wanted to help ensure his sister has a decent funeral. The funeral its self will be, invitation only with guests form the apartment building he used to live at, the staff and friends Breeze had made in day care, some of the teachers from Alan Jefferson elementary who've been given time off to attend, some of the emergency responders and medical staff. The media have been asked to keep a respectful distance and not to enter the church yard.

Finnick doesn't mind them being invited he's glad that his sister will have people at her funeral who cared about her. As Macy finds a space at the airport parking lot, Finnick makes one last effort to have his final request granted. "I don't want my mom to be there, she has no right, it's her fault Bo's has gone, I don't understand why she's allowed."He said on the verge of tears.

Macy pulls into a space and sighs heavily. "I'm sorry Finnick, although the courts agree that she can't have you back again, she was still Breezes mom. She won't be allowed near you, and she'll be handcuffed to an officer the whole time. She has to sit at the back during the ceremony, she won't be allowed to stand up and speak only to watch. She'll be taken away back, if she disturbs the ceremony or tries to reach you in anyway. Afterwards she'll go back to the prison she's awaiting trial at.

Both his mom and the neighbour form across the hallway, have been denied bail and held in separate prisons until their court cases are due to be heard. He doesn't want either released but he's been told they can't be imprisoned forever and that eventually both will be released again.

They both get out of the car and walk into the airport. Although Finnicks family were once wealthy, he'd still never been on an aeroplane or at least not that he ever remembers. New places always excite Finnick and the chance to go on a plane, would normally have him asking many questions, but today he's quiet and uninterested.

He dose still look around with interest, and reads some of the arrivals and departures boards, but it doesn't keep his attention long. They have no suitcases only hand luggage, since they'll be returning by the evening or earlier if Finnick needs or wants to leave sooner.

"Would you like a drink while we wait?" Macy asked as they stop at a coffee shop. He's tempted to shake his head, but the thought or a hot chocolate makes him a little happier. "Can I have a hot coco?" He asked hopeful. "Sure, we'll have to wait together in the queue though; I'm not allowed to leave you unattended at any point, in case you get lost." She said Finnick doesn't mind he's quite happy to stand by her side and wait.

Once they have their order Macy carries the drinks to a vacant table. "Careful with it, it's hot." She said as she puts the hot cup filled with whipped cream in front of him. He blows the steam and waits as long as he can before giving into temptation. He can't clearly recall when his last hot coco was.

Even though he waits the hot chocolaty goodness, still too warm to drink but he sips great fully and pulls faces when he get too much in his mouth and feels it burning. He isn't exactly happy but the hot chocolate brings him as close to it as he's been in recent times.

The wait for the aeroplane is boring and he's grateful when they finally get to board. They have two seats together by the window, he's allowed to sit by it and watch out. Take off scares him a little and he grabs Macy's hand for comfort. She soothes him with gentle words. "We won't be in the air too long and we'll be meet and driven to the cemetery after we land."

Looking out of the widow is what he spends his time doing, even though. Macy offers him a colouring book. He's fascinated at being up in the sky with the clouds; he wonders if his sister and dad can see him but dismisses the thought as silly.

After the plane lands in California, they get through the security checks, He and Macy make their way to a person holding up a sign with their names on. They follow the man out to a waiting car and get in, at first the roads and area is unfamiliar to Finnick but after a few minutes he starts to recognise the area around where he used to live, his stomach knots with apprehension.

The car stops outside the familiar cemetery, his dad was buried at, he's handed a card from a bunch of flowers and a pen, he leans against a notepad of Macy's. _To my Breeze, you were the best sister in the world. Love Finn-Finn_.

He gets out with Macy's help and tries to concentrate on keeping his breathing as regular as possible. He's given a large bunch of flowers from the trunk; Macy puts the card in the holder inside the flower arrangement. "Would you like to hold them?" Finnick nods.

The flowers are past to him and the walk into the cemetery; it's not long before Finnick spots guests he knows, within the sea of faces. Mick form the dinner, parents of Breezes friends and Ashley, he picks up the pace and pull his free hand form Macy's.

"Ashley, over here," he shouted as he gets closer to her, with Macy following just behind him. Ashley turns and heads over to meet him. "Finnick, you look well. I'm so sorry for everything," she said. Pulling him into an awkward hung around the flowers. Macy take them form him, so they can hug better.

"I'm sorry Finnick I should have called the child protective services, even though she came home. I'm sorry I couldn't help you that night, I was out working." Emotion threatens to make Finnick cry, he manages to hold them in check in but a few stray tears escape him.

"It's OK, maybe you could adopt me now and I'll be your son instead." She shakes her head sadly. "I'm sorry sweetie, I'm barely much better than your mom, I have my own issues and I just couldn't support you right. You deserve a home with a family that can provided everything you need." Finnicks sadden but unsurprised, he asked more out of desperation and the need for someone familiar too him, than belief the Ashley could help him more.

Ashley stands up. "Are you in charge of Finnick now?" she asked Macy. "Yes I am I'm Finnick's caseworker, the two shake hands. "You have to get Finnick out of Morton, I don't want to see him round there in a few years working as a rent boy, he deserves better. Please get him out of Morton, make sure he finds a family who can love him."

She busts into tears and leaves before any response form Macy. Finnick's kind of glad she left, so he didn't end up crying with her. He sombrely greets some of his old teachers and some of the parents of Breeze's old friends but keeps the conversation short with each.

He's relived that he doesn't see his mom and thankful when he's taken into the church, for the service, behind Breezes white coffin and doesn't have to speak to more people. He's led to a church pew at the front; he sits at the end closest to the walk way, so that he can easily get up when it's his turn.

Finnick sit quietly as the minister starts the service, he waits patiently and tries hard to focus on what's going on, but it isn't easy for him to do. He walks up the steps up the podium and prepares to speak into the microphone. He was told to plan what he'd say but he couldn't think of what to write.

He takes a long deep breath. "Thank you all for coming to, say good bye to my Bo. She knew and loved some of you and she'd thank all of you who tried to help her. Bo was always happiest when we played together, whether in the apartment or outside, she loved making new friends and eating sweet food when we had it." He avoids looking round at the faces watching, so he doesn't see the mother who let him and his sister down.

Finnick takes another deep shuddering deep breath, losing his ability to keep in, the tears he'd hoped not to shed. "Bo is no longer with me now, but I feel her ruffling my hair, when the Breeze blows outside, she'll always be with me to keep me company. Even though I wish she was her herself. Please remember my sister every time the breeze blows. Thank you."

He returns to his seat next to Macy, and sits through the rest of the service; the only sound he makes is the occasional sob as he cries, for his sister. Out in the grave yard, he watches as they lower his sisters coffin into the space next, next to their dad. He lays his flower and throws in his handful of dirt on top.

If his mother's present at any point, Finnick doesn't notice her, but he doesn't really risk looking much at any point because he knows it'll only obliterate his already shattered heart. He shifts his gaze only when he has too and looks at anything other than the people who also came to say good-bye.

After there's a small food reception is held afterwards, but he couldn't say where it was, or what he ate. He's relived to get back on his plane to the hospital. Finally when everyone has gone and given him peace to himself, back in his hospital room, he curls up with his sister lion and cries for her more than he did at the funeral. He cries more tears than he thought it was possible for one person to make.

A week later he sits on the same bed, anxiously awaiting his doctor's decision about whether he can leave. Macy has a space ready for him at a children's home if he's given the green light to leave. Macy returns from the meeting, Finnick looks up expectantly. "Good news you can leave here now, I can take you the children's home," she announced happily. Finnick feels a mixture of relief and trepidation about it, but prepares to leave for his new start.

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**Thanks for reading, next chapter will be Finnick in his new home. With a couple of familiar characters! **


	12. Sunny Grove Children's Home

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

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**Sunny Grove Children's Home**

With his few possession in a black bin liner in Macy's car trunk, wearing his returned faded too short jeans, t-shirt battered trainers and a sweater she got him from somewhere. Finnick sits in the back of her car watching out the window, at the gloomy grey sky above as rain drops patter against the window. "Its lovely weather for ducks," he said to himself. As he thinks of how Breeze would have laughed if she'd have been there to hear him say it.

His new children's home is somewhere in Clayton not far from Morton where he spent the last few years. Macy drives him to a typical looking leafy suburb and parks outside a large family home that looks no different from others in the street, except for the large sign on the front lawn. 'Sunny Grove Children's home.'

There's no grove or sun, Finnick neither hates nor loves the look of it "Right, let get you settled in and introduced, to your house parents and housemates," Macy said cheerful. He gets out of the car once she takes off the child lock. Finnick stands on the sidewalk whilst she gets his bin liner out the car's trunk.

"OK, try and smile Finnick." He tries but he's sure, his smile mustn't look right, he's not sure if he's happy or not and his sisters funeral was only a week previous, so smiling and being happy aren't high on his list, getting through each day is what he concentrates on.

She leads him up the step onto the porch of the large home and knocks on the door. He can hear signs of activity coming from within the home. The door's opened by a smiling man "Welcome to Sunny Grove. I'm Mason and you must be Finnick," he said reaching out to shake Finnicks hand. Finnick backs off a little. "Sorry I forgot, you're the one that's not good around other adult males, why don't you come in out of the rain? We'll get you settled in" He couldn't do much else even if he wanted too, he follows Macy inside.

As Mason gives the grand tour other children sometimes watch, as they pass with curiosity at the new kid, others go about their business as though another kid is nothing new. "You're the tenth and the last, child we have room for here." He gives the occasional name of a child that passes them, but none of the kids stop to talk but a few say hello.

Sunny Grove, has two spacious living rooms, a kitchen with large dining room, a downstairs bathroom and fenced in backyard with an old climbing frame and swing set. Upstairs there are there are six bedrooms, one for staff and the other five each have two beds for two children to share.

"You'll be sharing with Cato, he's out at the minute, I got of one of the spare all right for you." His duvet is navy blue with simple white stars on it, the words bright stars and the music come to mind when he looks at it. "We like all the children here to keep your own room tidy, but if you need any help just ask." Macy puts his toys by his bed, "OK Finnick, you get sorted out up here, I'll be finishing up some things with your house parents. We'll be seeing each other once a week from now, but if there are any issues your house parents can call me, or you can tell them about any issues if you have I have to get going I wish I could stay longer, bye Finnick." With that Macy and Mason leave him alone in the bedroom.

His room is larger than what he had with Breeze but it isn't huge, with white painted walls and a dark brown carpet, there are two wardrobes with draws either side of the door and two desks at the end of each bed.

Finnick sits on the strange new bed it's a little more comfortable than his old one, but not so good as his hospital bed had been. He looks out of the window, to the front of the house, he watches as a car passes by. Even though he knows he'll see Macy every week, he can't help but feel like she's abandoning him to the children's home. He lets out a large sigh. "Well a best get on with it then," he said to try and motivate himself into action, by saying it out loud.

He opens his bin liner and takes out his clothes, hanging up his pants his old leather jacket, he also hangs up the clothes he had for Breezes funeral and puts his shiny shoes on the bottom of the wardrobe. His t-shirts and underwear he puts in the draws. Finally he puts his doctors case and pencil case as far under his bed as close to the wall and as out of sight as he can, still in the bin liner in the hopes of keeping it form his roommate sight.

Finnick sits on his bed hugging Breezes lion, he'll take it where ever he goes to keep it safe, and it's all he has of her. His door opens without even a knock. "So you're the new boy then, you unlucky bastard, not only did you land in this hell hole, but your sharing a room with Cato. Here's my only bit of free advice too you, he has a thing for knives and making threats, so don't sleep with your back to him." Finnicks startled by the girls un announced appearance and can't work out if she's being honest, or if she's trying to freak the new kid out, he remains passive and showsher no concern about it.

"The house parents here are carp, they're supposed to lock up the knives and stuff, make rules and that kind of thing, but in reality they do fuck all, except feed us and take us here or there for appointment and what not," She just given him more than on piece of advice, but he doesn't point that out.

The girl in his room, who swears like a trooper, looks a little older than himself, but not much. If Finnick stood up they'd be near enough the same height. She has dark eyes and hair of almost the same colour brow. "What's your name?" Finnick asked after realising he needs to try and make at least one friend whilst, he's at Sunny Grove, since he has no idea how long he'll be staying. "Johanna, My room the last one, same said as yours," And with that she leaves as abruptly as she arrived without so much as a good-bye.

Finnick sits in his room drawing out the time, before he'll eventually have to go downstairs and be with the other kids. I knock brings Finnick to his senses and he realises he must have fallen asleep on his bed at some point after sitting down, he has aches for being lay in awkward position. "Lunch time," he slowly makes his way downstairs and back to the kitchen he saw.

"Good afternoon Finnick take a seat." Some of the kids are already at the table most of the scowl or cover the seats next to them. Finnick goes over to where Johanna sat with the fewest other children, she just barged in without even knock, so he sits without asking, earning him a menacing scowl.

"You know kid, just because I spoke to you earlier, _doesn't_ mean we're actually friends." She said coldly "Johanna, be nice to Finnick and let him sit there if he wants too." Mason snapped form where he's preparing food. Johanna rolls her eyes, but make no further compliant about Finnick being next to her, she just chooses to ignore him.

He places a plate of sandwiches, a large bowl of salad and a jug of water on the table. "Someone get the cups please." Mason called. One of the other kids gets up and hands out the cup, passing Finnick his last. He checks that his cup is clean before he fills it with water, he wouldn't put it past the other kids to do something terrible to it, his cup seems clean enough. He tries to reach for the sandwiches, but the kid who gave him the cup pulls it away, whilst mason leaves the room to answer the phone.

A game of keep the sandwiches away from the new kid starts up, instead of allowing the game to go on, he simply gets up and heads to the kitchen counter. He looks around and finds everything he needs to make his own sandwich and leans against the counter eating it, causing the other child to look annoyed not to be able to tease him.

_Their just testing you to see if you crack, don't let them they'll give up_. He finishes his sandwich and puts his plate in the dishwasher. "So where's Cato, my roommate any way." Some of the kids snigger and others look afraid. It's Johanna who finally decides to answer him.

"Do you have holes in your brain or something, I told you earlier he likes knives and threats, he's at the cop station again, our house mom Brenda's gone to get him back. You should be very thankful he's not here. He hates all of us but he especially hates new kids, when he comes back to find out he's sharing a room with_ you_, well let's just say, I wouldn't want to be you." He's glad at least one kid will talk to him, Johanna might be spiky, but he gets the feeling she actually one of the least hostile of the kids in the house.

"Sit down Finnick unless you're done," Mason said as he returned. Finnick leaves and goes out to the garden from the back door. He sits by the unnecessarily high fence and wonders whether it's to keep people out, or to keep him and the others from leaving the home in. "Not bad at least you've got a brain." He turns to see Johanna heading over to him. "You'll need every brain cell you have, when Cato gets back, although to be honest I'm not sure whether it's him or Enobaria is the worst." She said standing close to him, but leaving enough of a gap, to remind him they still aren't friends yet.

Johanna blatantly takes out a pack of cigarettes and lights up. "I'm guessing you don't want one then, which is good because I don't share," She said seeing the look on his face, a mixture of horror and suprise. "If the sight of a person smoking horrifies you, you'll be absolutely traumatised by the end of a week here." Finnick recomposes himself and tries to move out of the direction of her smoke, when the wind blows it his way.

He tries to keep the conversation going, since he doubts the other kids will talk much to him. "What's up with Enobaria then?" Johanna removes her cigarette blows the smoke his way, after seeing him trying to stay out of its way, she mimics chomping. "So don't get to meals late, or you'll sorely regret it, it won't just be her food she takes a bite out of, she and Cato both have some real psychological issues going on." Johanna said obviously used to both of them and the things they do.

Finnick takes his brown inhaler out of his pocket and uses it, he normally takes it just before Lunch but with moving into the children's home and all the fuss around lunch time he forgot until now. "Johanna what are you doing, you better not be giving those to Finnick he has asthma, give me those and get inside, your grounded you know the rules!" Mason said, as he comes stomping out across the yard towards her. Her only comment is a eye roll and a look of hatred as she follows him back inside.

He could go back inside with the other kids and try to make friends, but he doesn't feel like trying and he likes the fresh air. Finnick stay out not playing, but just watching out of the fence, into the gardens of the neighbouring properties. Eventually he goes back in out of paranoia, to check on his on his belongings and make sure one ones his hidden or destroyed anything he owns.

As he approaches the bedroom door he see it's opened and worry courses through him, that he might have been right to be paranoid. He gets inside and interrupts a boy being given a lecture and a woman. Finnick assumes the boy in trouble must be Cato and that the woman must be Brenda. "Could you wait outside a minute while, we finish." Finnick stands just outside the door.

"-Do you understand? If you keep up like this, you'll be sent to juvie. And that boy who just came in is your roommate Finnick, you best not give him any trouble," She shouted. Finnick has no idea why Brenda made him wait outside, his pretty sure the whole street must have heard her yelling.

She comes out and sees him standing there. "Finnick right, you and me have to go out and get some supplies for school on Monday, I also checked you wardrobe to see how you are for clothes and we really need to add a few more things, so you're going to come with me." She said looking like a woman at the end of her rope, for dealing with whatever trouble Cato got himself into.

Whereas Mason is quite thin and tall, Brenda is older, larger and shorter. She takes up almost the whole corridor as she stands in it. "Can I just get something real quick? It's just in my room." "Fine but hurry up, I'll meet you downstairs by the front door."

Cato stands in the doorway as he tries to get back in, he move from side to side blocking Finnick's attempts to re-enter. "Quit it will you, I just need to get something." "This isn't _your_ room, it's _mine _and if I have my way, _you_ won't be here very long." He pokes his finger at Finnicks chest at the word 'you'. "Whatever, I don't honestly care. I just need to get something then, I'll be out of your face a while." Cato stands aside and lets him past but watches as Finnick picks up the lion, he rushes back out and down the stairs.

He and Brenda pick up school supplies, a new winter coat, some sweaters, clean underwear, jeans, trainers and pyjamas. "It costs a fortune looking after kids," She mutters. "I thought you got money to take care of us?" "Yes we get donations, and help from various other charities, but we still have budgets." Everything bagged up at the tills and paid for.

By the time and enter the house Finnick can smell the cooking of the evening meal which makes his mouth water. "I'll help you take this lot upstairs, unpack it, wash your hands and face and be down for tea." She said before he runs upstairs in front of her, so he doesn't get stuck, waiting for er to get up the stairs.

Cato's lay on his bed staring at the roof, "This lot belongs to Finnick, don't consider taking it or damaging it." He doesn't answer but he rolls over on his bed and creeps Finnick out, by watching as he unpacks. "Everything in here, is Finnick if you need anything, I'll get you your own stuff."Brenda said re-emphasising what he said. "Anything in this rooms mine and I'll take it f I want." Cato said as soon as Brenda leaves, Finnick throws him a glowering look and continues in silence. He tries to make it as difficult as possible for Cato to see what he has and where exactly he put everything. Finnick would like somewhere to lock away his most prized belongings, but he doubts he'd get that even if he asked.

He debates taking the lion down to Tea, but he doesn't want the other kids to know what the lion means to him. If it were lost or stolen, he might be able to get a new one, but it wouldn't be Breeze's lion. If he leaves Cato alone he knows the boy will go through everything, so he decides he has no choice but to take it with him, leaving it could be as bad as taking it with him.

Fininck locks the bathroom door and washes his hands and face, using a hand towel to dry himself. He picks the lion back up from the floor and carries it with him. Again he takes a seat near Johanna, "Looks like you escaped Cato, with no bruises that must be a first," She said. "If that lions important though, guard it with your life, he enjoys emotionally torturing others," She said. "Jo, don't scare the boy, if he threatens anything just tell me." Brenda said from where she's helping with Tea. Johanna leans closer to Finnicks ear and whispers. "You know that won't stop him right?" Finnick swallows hard. And hopes he'll be able to keep the lion safe somehow.

They have mixed vegetables, fish stick and creamed potatoes for Tea; he's been released from his strict diet. Finnick finds it odd that Cato take a seat next to Enobaria. As soon as he's finished he follows Johann outside. "Enobaria didn't bite Cato," Finnick said as they reached a quiet corner away from the other kids. "No, him and me are the only two kids in here she wouldn't dare to bite."

"Johanna, how am I going to keep my lion safe? It was my sister's and it's all I have." Tears roll down into the lions mane, as he holds it close to his face. He hopes she'll have some answer for him. "You can call me Jo; you don't have to call me Johanna all the time. As for the lion, there's fuck all you can do, to stop him getting it, hide it and he'll go out of his way to find it. Take it everywhere with you and he'll know it matters to you. Don't both pleading with him if he gets it, he'll just draw out your suffering. It wouldn't be the first time; he's taken so kids prized possession. I have nothing he can use against me," Johanna said. Finnick feels hapless and scared he half wishes he was with his mom again, he knew what to do around her, but here he has to learn a whole new way of getting by.

That night despite Johanna's warning to him, he sleeps curled up facing the wall clutching Breezes lion to his chest. The weekend drags by and Cato starts to make open threats to rip apart the stuffed Lion. Finnick knows he's on borrowed time with it and he only has so long before the worst happens.

On Monday, he packs for school and finds his new clothes to wear. All of the kids from his children's home are allowed a free school meal, so he doesn't need a packed lunch. He bolts down his breakfast and then heads to the bus stop with the other kids heading the Clayton Elementary School.

He was used to walking to Alan Jefferson Elementary, but he's glad to get be able to ride on the bus for a change. Johanna and Cato are both eleven so both are in the grade above him and go to middle school, there's only one girl called Gabby from the children's home in his grade. He talks to Johanna on the way to the bus stop and then they split up and she goes to wherever the middle school kids wait.

He meets his fifth grade teacher and is taken to his class, there aren't as many children in his class, as there were in Morton and the school it's self seems to be cleaner and brighter. The children happier and wearing nicer clothes than he and his friends wore.

The other children in fifth grade don't bother so much with him, but he still doesn't mind. Finnick still needs time to himself after everything he's been through, he sits with Gabby for lunch and the other children don't talk to them. He likes Monday afternoon with double science class and he's thrilled to be asked to join in the science club every Thursday evening his teacher Mr Erikson gives him a permission form, to take back home with him.

As soon as he's through the front door, he hunts down his house parents and takes the letter out and thrusts at them. "I got a letter to join Science club, can I go I love science." Brenda turns to look at him; her expression is quizzical like she can't understand why he'd want to do any such thing. "Let me see, she reads the letter through, I guess so if you want to, it'll keep you out of trouble and give you something to do." She signs the permission slip at the bottom and hands it back.

"Now you do your homework and be back down for tea." He nods "Yes Brenda" He smiles broadly at the thought of science club. He hums on his way to his room. Finnick sits at his desk starts on his homework, working through it methodically, until he's completed it to his satisfaction. He packs it back into his school bad and puts it under his bad in case Cato come back and finds it, he would put it past him, to destroy or hide it. It's not the best hiding place, but there's nowhere else he can think of to put it.

After tea he spends sometime outside with Johanna, while she smokes. He finds writing homework torn to bits on the floor and everything from his backpack is strewn across the floor, with it. Cato's already playing hooky; Finnick would be surprised if he couldn't even read, what he'd torn up let alone understand his actions. He tries to hide his upset at the situation, but all his hard work is in pieces and he has little time to re write it if he wants to sleep as well.

He takes the bits to Mason. "Look what that stupid fuck, did to my homework." Finnick's already picking up Johanna's foul language, "Finnick none of that language please." Cato is sat at the dining table not far away, he gives Finnick a viscous smile. "Cato you're grounded for the rest of the night, apologize to Finnick," Mason said. Finnick can't believe his ears. "Is that it? I have to hand it in _tomorrow; _I don't have enough time to redo it now." Cato sticks his tongue out. "You'll just have to try." Mason said, leaving them both. "You're a complete jerk, you know that?" He yelled at Cato.

"I'm going to go upstairs and start my homework again," Finnick said heading back out the dining room. "No, you're not, you have to eat at every meal and you mustn't miss any. You're not on your diet plan anymore, but you have to eat regularly so that your weight doesn't drop back down again." Cato gloats throughout the meal and Finnick, stares at him hatefully, until he's finished eating, he leaves as soon as he's finished.

Finnick spends his evening trying, to remember exactly what he wrote, the first time for his homework and is vexed, when he can't quite recall what he'd written. By bedtime he manages to finish, but it's not as good as his original.

The next day at school he hands his work in and has an otherwise good day, with an offer to join the swimming club. Which he accepts, hoping his house parents will let him, there's a small cost for the swimming club, but he hopes the house parents will let him, so they have less children to worry about for a while. He spends his Lunch hour checking out the library's books and seeing what new ones, there are for him to read. He worries though that they might end up the same way as his homework.

Once he's home he consults Johanna over his problem. "I want to bring library books back home but I'm worried they'll have no pages left if Cato gets them." Johanna lets out a long sigh. "Fine give them to me then. I never check anything out of the library or really bother with homework, so he won't come looking. You can read them in there too; don't say I never do anything for you. Enobaria isn't the kind to destroy books, just other kids."Finnicks shocked she's not trying at school. "You're not trying at school? Don't you want a good job?" Finnick asked her.

She laughs bitterly. "I'm not wasting my time trying, I'll never make it to college and neither will you. Who's going to pay for it smart arse?" Finnick smiles "A scholarship, they give them to deserving kids who do well, that's what I'm going to get." "Good for you, but few of the rest of us will so there's little point." Finnick's about to try and convince her otherwise. "Finnick I don't want to talk about school, I promised to look after your library books, but I'll destroy those_ and_ your homework if you persist with this conversation." Finnick knows a real threat when he hears one, so he shuts up, not wanting to risk a greater conflict with one of the only kids, who really likes him and the only one who'd help him.

Getting his house parents to agree to swimming proves easy, he figures they don't mind what he joins as long as he's not in trouble or bothering them too much. That night he does his homework and leaves it in Johanna's desk draw so he can pick it up before school the next day. Cato's not smart enough to figure out, what Finnicks doing, with Johanna's help.

Finnick's week is busy, he doesn't mind though, he likes to be kept busy to keep away and bad sad thoughts. He's taken to regular therapy session, to help him deal with his abuse, the loss of his sister and the awful night in the apartment. A court case also starts against his neighbour and his mom.

His days leave him emotionally and physical exhausted, he becomes a machine existing on school work to force out the pain he suffers in court. He joins as many after school activities as he can to keep him out of the children's home as long as possible and completes his homework either in the school library or in Johanna's room, to make Cato think he's stopped doing it and given up like Johanna.

One month after his arrival at Sunny Grove, in late November he's woken by a pillow thrown at his face, Fnnick bolts upright and immediately turns towards Cato's bed. He waves the lion at Finnick with an evil smile on his face, "I've got it, and the lions _going_ to get it." He realises he must have slept with a looser grip than normal, or maybe he just dropped it in his sleep. Either way Cato now holds it and looks triumphant.

Finnick throws himself out of bed and charges Cato, shoving him back onto the other bed. The two fight punch and kick at each other, as he tries to regain his lion, Cato manages to keep him from getting it, by chucking it just out of his reach. Cato shoves him to the floor and while Finnick lies breathless and panting, Cato grabs the lion and runs to the door and out. Finnick struggles to his feet and rushes out after him.

The fight restarts on the landing, Finnick doesn't dare to try and pull the lion from, from Cato's hands in case it rips. They struggle and to his horror Finnick ends up at the edge of the stair, his arms windmill in an attempt to keep him from falling down the stairs. He just about regains his balance as Cato pushes him once hard in the chest. This time there's nothing he can do to prevent his fall.

His back hits the stairs first he topples over several times and blacks out. When he comes to the other children and the overnight staff, for the month are all gathered around him, the house parents change every now and then in shifts. "Stay still you had a bad fall and blacked out," he's told by Fiona, the woman in charge of the night staff

As his confusion abates he recalls how he ended up at the bottom of the stairs in the first place. Finnick sits despite being told to lie down. "Cato, my lion!" Finnick shouted hoping someone would help him. As far as he can tell the other kids are all upstairs looking down at him, with only the house parents next to him.

One of them talks on the phone as the other forces him to lie back down again. Cato appears from one of the living rooms holding the lion. Before Finnick can form a scream, Cato rips off the lion's tail. One of the house parents shouts at him to stop, but Cato already pulling at the lions stitching with his teeth and the starts to rips down the seam, he finishes pulling out the stuffing; he throws it over Finnick and the house parents and laughs. "Now your dead sisters gone and you have nothing." Cato cruelly taunts.

Finnick gets up with no regard for his own health and shoves Cato into the living room. Screaming, kicking and biting with every bit of his remaining strength. The house parents struggle to separate them, Cato's dragged away and Finnick held down until he stops screaming and subsides into sobs of hopelessness.

An ambulance turns up to take him to the hospital; he doesn't care about the possibility of permanent spinal damage. The paramedics strap him down to a spinal board and carry him into the ambulance with Peter the house dad, on night shift following. At the hospital they do test and x-rays, to assess the damage done to him.

"OK, Finnick your lucky there's nothing wrong with your spine, so we can let you up. Your arm however has sustained a displaced fracture and you'll need surgery so that the bones can be realigned," his doctor said. It starting to hurt him bad and he's surprised he didn't feel pain in his arm at the house. "What will happen in the surgery, will I have stiches?" Finnick asked hoping not. "No, they just pull the bone back into place and put a cast on. Finnick lies back on his bed with a groan of displeasure.

His arm is temporarily splinted and put in a sling, until he's had surgery. The doctor also administers painkillers that make him sleepy. He's kept in and not allowed food or drink until after his operation. It's almost a full twenty-four hours before he's taken to theatre and he's very hungry, he'll be glad just to eat afterwards.

Once he's been anaesthetised he dreams that he and Breeze are playing in the sun, in the park they used to play in in Morton. There's no one else around, they play chase and on the jungle gym, they seem to play for a lifetime, laugh and giggle in the heat of a morning with the blue sky above.

Eventually they tire and head to the tree they sometimes shaded in when the heat got too much form them in the summer months. As they approach it hand- in-hand, he spots Cuddly Lion under the tree ripped apart. Breeze cries lets go of his hand and runs to her toy. "Doctor Finnick, make my lion better please!" Her big eyes fill with tears, he runs over to where his doctor coat and case appears, wanting so badly to help and fix it.

He puts on his coat and uses, everything in his case, his stethoscope to hear the lions weak heart, his, and the pills for infection and pain, the blood pressure monitor, thermometer and bandage, after. He looks up from his work to see Cato laughing; Finnick keeps trying until he's used everything in doctors set twice to no avail.

The sun disappears and he and Breeze are left in a dark nowhere place, the sounds of Cato's laughter remains but it's sound changes to a continuous flat line tone, of a hospital heart monitor. Finnick forces himself to look into his sisters eyes. "I'm sorry Bo, there's nothing more I can do." He sister drifts away from him with a failed look on her face. "Please Bo, I tried to save you, I tried to save your lion."

Finnick wakes with a start and sits upright fast, making himself feel dizzy and sick, he vaguely recalls enough of the dream, to feel deeply and truly sad, like he's failed her not once in the apartment but twice, by allowing her lion to be ripped apart. He sits up crying and barely registers that Macy's sat by his bed. "Is it your arm?" she asked. He doesn't respond, he just crises, she can't change his failures.

He never thought he would but he turns to her and pleads. "Please get me out, of the children's home, foster me or adopt me out, just please don't make me stay. Please!" He cries on her. She's silent a while. "Well you're no longer needed at court, and if I talk to your therapist I can see if he thinks you've made enough improvement to be put up for adoption. " He'd of preferred a definite answer but he'll make do with that, for now and run away later if he can't be found somewhere else, to live.

* * *

**After writing this chapter I realized that the court case take longer to finish, when realistically it would probably have gone on much longer and maybe even taken longer to get to court, but if I changed the time frame, I'd have had to of changed my later chapters too, so I decided to leave it as it as. I would have had to delete them to change the months and season, but I decided I couldn't lose all that work, so I've left it as it is.**

* * *

**I made a slight alteration to my Late Night Call Chapter, I had said that he'd be starting Middle School but he's only grade five, so he'd be in his last year of elementary school. I'm not sure how I made that mistake, but I've corrected it and there's no need to re-read the whole Late Night Call chapter.**


	13. Treasure

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

* * *

**Treasure**

Finnick's returned to the Children's home, the day after the surgery with pain killers, and with nothing more than promises from Macy. 'I'll see what I can do,' Macy said. And 'I'll try and have you moved from Cato's room.' He hates promises and wants action but he can't get either.

Mason waits until he and Finnick are home before giving him the good news. "You've been moved from Cato's room. Into Chloe's you're still young enough to be able to share for now," Mason said. He heads straight up to the room when he gets back, Chloe's is right next door to Johanna's room.

She hardly speaks which suits him fine, and he doesn't feel like talking much himself, he unpacks and lies on his bed resting his sore arm. The door opens "Out Chloe I want to speak to Finnick." He recognises Johanna's voice, without looking to see who entered and the sound of Chloe leaving.

"I'm sorry for what Cato did too you, he's a bastard sometimes and totally screwed up. I hear his mom was on hard drugs before he was even born and she lived with an abusive guy. We're all screwed up somehow because of what's happened to us," Johanna said sadly. "What happened to you?" Finnick asked wanting to keep the conversation away from himself.

She sighs "Arson, my home burnt down, my family were killed, I was the only survivor. They never found the person or people responsible, drunk teen were suspected, but never caught," she answered. "I heard that you we're the poor kid form Morton, the house parents talking about it, they shouldn't have really but they always do. I expected you to be a totally fuck up just like Cato, but I was wrong. She take hold if Finnick's hand surprising him, with the caring gesture.

"I have an early Christmas gift for you, it's not much and I wish I could have done better for you." She leaves momentarily. "I found an old roll of Christmas paper, the parents had stashed or maybe it's this years who knows." She offers him a flattish parcel.

He guesses what it is, as he opens the package he finds he's proved right. The remains on his sister's lion are in it. "Brenda binned it; I had to climb into the dumpster at the side of the house." The cuddly lion is no longer cuddly; most of the stuffing is gone, the tail is now stick out the ripped seem. She's tied string round the middle of the open seem to try and keep together what's left, pulling the body of the lion in tight. Only the head and the legs still have stuffing in them.

"You shouldn't have bothered, it's not fixable, you wasted your time, just take it away and throw it out!" He yelled angrily tossing it on the floor, crippled with devastation. "No, your sister would have wanted you to take care of what's left of it. If you throw it out, Cato wins it'll be truly destroyed. You should keep what's left of it. I won't throw it out, if you want that to happen then you_ do_ it," She said firmly. Johanna knows he never will and so does he. She leaves him to lie on his bed and cry.

Cato's kept far away from him and made to, be either in a different living room or to eat after or before him, to keep them as separate as possible. He's home two days before Macy turns up at the house. Finnick's just about to return upstairs before she stops him in his tracks. "Finnick, I need you to come with me to my office, so that we can talk and sort things out." He was going to ignore her, but she did have him kept from Cato, she hasn't entirely failed him yet. He walks slowly back down the stairs. "OK, anything to get out of here, for a while."

Each of their weekly catch up chats happened in her office and he's hoping this will be more than that. He sits in the front seat of her car to see out the window as she drives. "After discussing everything, with your therapist, and the house parents, I've decided we can try and foster or adopt you, if it's what you want we'll be able to set things in motion, but please understand it could take some time. These things don't normally happen fast. Finnick doesn't care as long as it happens at all.

Macy has an office with its own room, her desk has little free space on it. With papers, folders her computer and an assortment of other things littered on it. "Sorry, I try hard to keep the desk clean but less than five minutes after trying to do so, people start dumping things back on it."

Finnick sits on the chair on the opposite side. "Ok, let's get started shall well, first things first we need to make you a profile. I need you to tell me the things about you the you want to include, for possible foster and adoptive parents to read, to see if they think you'd be suited to their home, please be honest, or you could end up with the wrong family." She writes up, the profile which has information he agrees to and his hobbies and interests. "Right, that's a good one, now we need a picture of you, so that everyone, who looks at the database can see what you look like."

She stands up from behind her desk. She goes to the other end of her office and pulls cord for what appears to be a large roller blind on a stand. "Stand in front of the background, nice big smile and arms by your side please." Finnick does as asked, he finds his smile far easier to come by then he would have thought possible, thinking of a new life helps. Macy takes out her camera, form he desk draw, takes a picture and check the results. "Good photo, would you like a look?"

They sit back at her desk and she shows him the photo, he's seen worse and can only hope that someone will see him and like his picture and profile. "Just one last thing, after a recommendation by your therapist, I have to put that you'd be better suited to a single parent family, a woman or a two females in a partnership, due to your ongoing difficulties with adult males. I'm told you're doing better but you need to be slowly built up, before you can be left alone with any males. What that means is it could take a while longer to find a suitable home for you but it is doable. Would you mind leaving Oregon if we could find you a match out of state?"

Fnnick doesn't even take time to consider the question. "No, I'd be happy just to have a home and get away from Cato. I can make new friends easy I'd maybe like to go back to California though if I could." He said, feeling no attachment to Morton or Clayton. "Good, I'll make sure that's known, it'll help you a bit, I can't promise you'll definitely find a home in California, but I'll try for you." There weekly catch-up is short, because she's already aware of what happened with Cato, so it not long before she's driving him back the children's home. "I'll try and type you're profile up this afternoon, as long as I don't get snowed under with one thousand other jobs, but other things could end up taking priority over it. I'll come back and speak to you, if I get any potential foster or adoptive parents interested in you, like I said though it could take time and you'll need to be patient. " She finished repeating, that it could take time and drilling it into him, Finnick still hopes it won't be all that long. He goes off to tell Johanna the good news, as soon as he gets back.

* * *

Annie sits with her parents and brother, in the apartment they've lived in just over three years, the housing project was huge, but now their selected home is going through its finishing touches ready for them to move in.

They're very lucky that the new housing estate is just on the boarder of their current elementary schools catchment area, so they'll both be able to stay in the same one is they've attended since moving, she won't have to deal with changing schools again.

She and her brother were given choices of paint colours, carpets and blinds for their two separate room, she choose a pale lavender for the walls and to keep floor boards but have them varnished a light honey pine colour instead of carpets, and a cream coloured blind with lavender flower pattern. She even has a white quilt with purple flower pattern on to almost match her blind choice; she drove her mother crazy looking for the best matched one that she could.

There second move has gone much easier, being closer to them. Their parents have been able to move their possessions whilst she and Taylor have been at school. Today they'll be moving into the home on the new estate. The home her dad helped to build, not many of her friends would be able to say they were living in a home built by their dad. Annie feels a great swell of pride every time she thinks about it and talks about it with them.

To hers and Taylor's annoyance, their mom and dad refused to let them see the exact house they'd be moving into until it was completed, so both of them still don't know exactly what to expect from it. "OK kids in the car and we'll be off to our forever home, well forever until you two leave us for college," Her mom said. College feels like a lifetime away to Annie and an almost unreal place, she can't yet fully imagine, herself being at.

She doesn't feel sad leaving he apartment, she'll still see and be able to play with the friends she's made whilst living there, she'll just be a little further from them and some will even be moving as well. As the children of other in the building also had parents involved in the building of the estate and some of them took advantage of the same discounted house price.

The only slight minus to the new house will be that it has no pool. In the end her parents choose to have more room inside the house, because there's a local pool close by and the beech and sea minutes away, other than that she can barely contain her excitement, over the new home. Her parents wouldn't show them the house, but the decided it was best to inform them in advance that there would be no pool.

As her parents drive into Golden Valley Estate, she gets a fluttery feeling in her stomach. "We're not too far in," Her dad said teasingly. He drives down the main road and takes the left split, less than a minute later he turns on to the drive way of the fourth house. "This one!" Annie shrieks. To her the home looks large, but it's an average sized family home with attached garage. "Yes this one, welcome home kids," Her dad said. The car barely stops before she and Taylor are opening the doors and standing at the front door step as their parents are just getting out of the car.

"Home sweet home," her dad said getting past them and putting the key in the front door. Annie and Taylor race in to get a good look around. They have a hallway with stairs leading to the upper floor, the door way opposite to the living room, large enough for the four of them and a few guests. It has a light airy feel, with a good amount of natural light, decorated in a pale neutral tone.

An archway from the living room leads into a kitchen with dining room, with space for a family sixed dining table. It has views outside of a medium sized garden. French doors are lead outside from the dining area of the kitchen allowing even more light in than a regular backdoor would.

"Can I have I look outside please, before I explore upstairs?" Her dad unlocks them. "Sure we can leave them open a bit if you like, let some fresh air in." She steps out into the fenced off garden, it's flat out side with a large tree at the back, she note that there aren't any plants yet, but she doesn't mind she knows her dad will make it look pretty, she doesn't want to have to help.

There's barbeque area is large enough for some outdoor furniture and would be a great place to sit and eat, with her family and friends, a large gate with a lock at the side of the house, gives access back to the front of the home.

Annie goes back inside no longer able to resist the urge to see the bedroom; she'll finally have to herself. She makes a brief stop to check out the small utility area by the stairs. Her parent's bedroom room overlooks the front of the property with its own small private bathroom and closet.

Her room and Taylors room have a family bathroom separating them and the booth, have views of the back garden, which is nicer then looking out onto the road. The closest one to the stairs is obviously Taylor, his doors open and he's already making a mess of it. Annie takes a deep breath and pauses with her hand on the door knob to her room.

She closes her eyes, opens it takes one step into her new room and opens them. Her room takes her breath away; it would be much too small for some people. To Annie though finally getting a space to call her own is more than enough. She's immediately pleases with her decoration choice, the pale colours make the room feel bigger.

Her toy box is along the wall she enters and her bookcase his been put next to it, close to her bed between the bed and the window is just enough room, for her bedside table with three draws and lamp for night time reading. She walks round the bed, to make sure she can reach her bedside table, on the other side by the window, it isn't a large space but she can manage easy enough and as long as she doesn't put on a huge amount of weight, she shouldn't have a much bigger problem as she gets older.

Ideally she'd have her toy box at the end of her bed, but it's against the wall, so that there's room for her new desk, to do her homework outside the walk-in wardrobe, just to the side of the folding doors. It's almost like her room has been made, just to fit the furniture in it and a bit of extra space, enough to make the room comfortable despite its small size. She flicks on the light to get a look inside, it's about the same space as what she and Taylor shared in the last apartment so she considers it big enough, she has a little space left, to the other side if she did need and an extra wardrobe or draws.

She turns off the light and goes downstairs to see her parents. They're busy setting out the food and kitchen equipment into cupboards. "Thank for moving us here, I really like it, I'm so glad we waited longer to get this place, it's lovely and my rooms amazing, although I think Ty might be destroying his." Both her parents laugh. "Thanks Annie I'm glad you like it," her dad said.

Annie spend time neatly arranging her clothes and shoes into her walk-in closet and is unsurprised to find she still has room left, she puts her books on her book shelf and her school books and pencil case on the desk that has its own lamp. She has a better look out of her window; she can see out over the patio and barbeque area.

"Can I go out for a bit on my bike, and look around the estate?" She asked her parents. "Sure just don't get to close to the area that's still being built on," her dad said. "Ok, dad I'll be careful." She rides her bike round, the estate is still quiet, a lot of houses have sold signs, or people already living or moving in as they are, a few still have for sale signs. The largest of the homes are to the back where she finds that building work is still continuing on some of them, but she guesses it won't be long until they too are built, her dad will be going to work there again himself tomorrow.

Annie's back home well before teatime, she goes upstairs and gets her book, form her bedside table and takes it out to read. She lies on her front on the grass, holding her book in front of her, she reads for several minutes. There's a chunk sound as her dads spade hits something under the soil, with a spade where he's already starting to make the garden look better. She puts her book down and wanders over for a look.

"What is it?" She asked him. "I'm not sure, there's something buried I think," her dad said. "It isn't a dead person is it?" She asked freaked out. "Annie seriously, you do have quite an imagination don't you," He said laughing. "Stop laughing, you never know." She folds her arms and glares at him menacingly. "I think its metal," he said prodding the ground under the tree with his spade. "Do you think I should dig it up? I think it's quite big and I don't want a massive hole in the garden," He asked. "Yes dad, I need to know what we found." She said interested and too curious, to just leave it.

Her dad tries to figure out the shape, and to takes off the top part of the lawn over whatever is underneath. He digs out a pile of dirt then reaches into the hole; he lifts up something in a soil covered with bag. There appears to be two box shapes within it. Her dad puts it on the grass and starts to fill the hole in with the soil he dug out of it and extra from the plant border he was digging, as he replaces the turf he removed, Annie bends down to untie the knot in the top.

She's not worried it's a body anymore, it doesn't smell bad and the box shapes are clearly defined, within the bag. Now she's convinced it must be treasure. The knot is loose and easily undone. She opens the bag and pulls it down over the two boxes to get a better look at them. One resembles a large tool box with padlock; the other is a black lacquered wooden box with either a Chinese or Japanese intricate design on the front.

"I'll get my tools for cutting metal and we'll see what's in the one with the padlock," Her dad said. "No, these belong to someone; they buried them for a reason." She said putting her arms protectively around the boxes. "Annie I just dug up a sizable chunk of lawn for those, the least we should do, is see what the contents of the boxes are, there might even be a clue inside as to who buried them and why." Annie considers it. "Let me keep them as they are for now, and I'll decide if we should open them later," she said taking charge of them.

Annie pulls the bag back up the boxes and holds it closed at the top to carry them back into the house. She takes the boxes back out again in her room and inspects them both closely, the lacquered one defiantly appears jewellery box like, it's suffered a little damage form it's time underground, but it's still in pretty good condition, the larger and taller tool box has a heavy duty padlock with sliding cover over the key hole.

She rubs her hand over its surface, the painted metal box, it feels as though it'd had words scratched into its surface but it's hard for her to make out. Annie goes to her desk and takes out a sheet of plain paper, she has a tin she keep the crayons she uses for leaf rubbing, with the paper taken out of a notebook, she opens it and takes out the first crayon she comes too.

Annie puts the paper on the lid of the metal box, and rubs the red crayon over it, a few times until she can read the inscribed words. _These items belong to me. It's not finders keepers, one day I'll come back for them. I'll haunt you if you take my stuff._ The message gives her a chill, she looks round her room as though she expects a ghost of some dead person to, come out of the wall and terrify her to take them back.

Now she decides she can't possibly open them and she has too keep them, and somehow attempt to find the owner, if they're still alive. She considers what she could do, she doubts anyone from the estate would own them, because the boxes would have been buried a while at least and the estate is new. She also considers that someone might say they own them just to get the contents, in the hopes there's treasure inside. Annie could let her dad open them so she knows what's in, that way if anyone wanted the boxes she could ask what was put inside, if they answered wrongly she'd know they weren't the real owner. For now though she decides to keep them locked, if she hears of anyone looking for buried boxes, she'll take more decisive action.

With a struggle she puts them both back under her bed, up against her bedside table. She goes to sit back outside, where her dad is lighting the BBQ on the patio. "It's a nice night, so we decided to celebrate with an outdoor tea," Her dad said looking thrilled. She helps her dad out by bringing the uncooked food from the kitchen, washing her hands before and after, taking it outside. She calls Taylor and their mom, who's trying to help Taylor set his room up in a neat and orderly way, when the food is ready.

They sit out on the patio, to eat sticky BBQ chicken, corn on the cob and salad. "Well Taylor look what I picked up today. Her mom said taking some booklets form her bag by the table; it's time we got looking for a Middle School for you. I can't believe you'll be in sixth grade next year. With all the new families around here, we need to make sure your name on the list for the best middle school.

Her mom and dad look through them with Taylor, Annie can help but feel a little jealousy, at the extra attention, he's getting for being in his last year, when she still has time left at elementary school. She knows she'll receive the same amount of attention as her brother, when it's her turn but she hates the feeling of being left behind.

Often Taylor lets her hang around with him and his friends, or he'll help her if she's struggling to make them, or if anyone bullies her. He always sticks up for her, so she worries a little about how things will be once he's no longer in her school for her to turn too.

Annie tires her best to be a supportive sister, she enters the conversation and offers her own advice about which school of the two in the area she thinks he'd like, but she also tries to push the only she likes the look of herself. Their parents want them to both go to the same schools, to keep them together and to keep the school run as short as they can. Her only option will be wherever her brother ends up.

That night she feels truly strange sleeping in her own room, every noise and creak of the house startles her. The boxes under the bed don't make it easier, with her imagination conjuring up many different scenarios, of how they came to be buried under the backyard tree. It takes a while before she's able to properly settle and finally sleep.

* * *

Finnick finds himself feeling hopeful, when the phone rings, in the same afternoon he helped to write his profile." Finnick its Macy for you," one of the night staff called. He charges out the room full speed and down to the phone. "Hi Macy, am I fostered yet?" He asked breathless. "No Finnick, I'm just ringing to let you know that you're profile is now online, for potential parents to view. I'll receive alerts to my email or phone, if someone is interested in fostering or adopting you. I know that you're very excited about this, but please try and remember it could take some time to find a suitable home. It could be week or even months Finnick, I'll try as hard as I can though find something as soon as possible."

Finnick feels crushed, but tries not sound like he is. "That's Ok, just try really hard please; I don't want to stay here longer than, I have too." "I know Finnick, I'm trying my best for you and I have specified the need for an urgent home, but even so it could still be a while, you'll have to be patient for the time being, but I'm sure we'll find you a home, even if it starts off temporary. Now, it must be bed time for you Finnick, so good night and I'll update you when I have news." Macy puts the phone down.

Even though he knows it'll take time, he goes back to his room deflated and tries not to fall into despair. He takes out the remains of his sisters lion and strokes it for comfort. Johanna opens his door never knocking, Finnicks used to her just turning up unannounced. "Hey Finnick, I wondered if we could talk in my room?" He puts the lion away and follows her.

There's just the two of them in her room and no playing Chloe. "I know you're up for fostering and adoption, most kids round here find out, how that works as they go, but I decided to let you know what happens," Johanna said. "Its fine thanks, Macy told me." He said wanting to go back to his room to sleep off another night, to bring tomorrow faster. "She told you her version, now you need to hear things, from a kid who's been there and done that."

He sighs and takes a seat on her bed, cradling his broken arm. "Listen Finnick, in an ideal world we'd all find our perfect home, but the fact is, these Children's homes are bursting with kids, for a reason. It goes like this, foster families take you when you're a cute small kid, they're paid to do it, then they give you back and get another. Sometimes the foster families are worse then what you've come from, and you beg to be given back to the children's home or run away."

Finnick doesn't believe her; he thinks she's telling scare stories to make him stay. "It's not that bad, you just don't want me to leave here," he yelled at her. She gives him a sad look. "Believe what you want, you'll find out what it's really like soon enough. If you're not adopted by the time you're twelve, you can just forget it ever happening at all." "Why?" Finnick asked wondering how his age would make a difference.

She rolls her eyes and talks to him like she lecturing a small child. "Because idiot, parents want babies for their families, which can grow up with them, some of them want to pass you off as always having been theirs and not adopted, or at least a cute little kid like yourself. _Then_ when you get to about twelve and you hit puberty, do you really think they want someone else's angry teenager in their home causing trouble, getting laid, drinking smoking and staying out late. No they want the adorable little kids, who cause them less trouble. Unless you're a little kid who causes trouble, then you end up back in places like this, faster than you can blink." Finnick's determined he won't have that issue; he'll be good and do as he's told, so that whoever takes him will keep him and never make him come back.

"Ok Jo, you've made your point, but I'm still doing this, I want a new home and I'll do what I have to, to get one and besides I'm still a cute kid, someone's bound to want me." She looks at him sadly. "I hope so for your own sake but don't come crying to me when it all goes wrong." Finnick leaves Finnick, he tries to remain optimistic; he's still young cute, intelligent and athletic he thinks a lot of people would like that in a little boy.

When he goes back to school the next day, he tries to push all thoughts of being adopted from his brain and get on with his work, it's not too hard for him during lessons, but he finds his thoughts drifting to his possible new home and what his foster or adoptive mother might look like.

To try and stop him loosing himself to, those thoughts he goes to the library, to study and read. He always finds to be the best way, of distracting himself. It doesn't take him long to immerse himself in his favourite topics, or to find new books on topics that have the potential to be interesting to him. He checks out as many books as he is allowed, making sure they're thick ones that will keep him reading for a long time.

When Finnick opens his cubby hole, too put his books in until the end of school. He finds the craft projects he saved up, but didn't take home. He smiles as an idea forms in his mind, he wants to be adopted by Christmas and if it happens, he'd like to give a gift to whoever takes him. Like other kids his age he has no money of his own for a gift, but he does have a months' worth of craft and art projects, he has to take a few out to get his books in and put them in his bag because, they are lighter than his books.

Finnick can't attend his after school swim class, so instead, he gets the bus back to the children's home, with both arms full of books and his bag full of craft projects and a couple of books he managed to put in without wrecking them.

Both Joanna and Cato are both normally late home from school, there's always kept back for causing some sort of trouble, so he knows he has enough time to get his books hidden before Cato returns. He'll be able to make a start or even complete his homework,

He's had tea and started reading one of his library books before Johanna's back. He doesn't bother her while she eats; she's always cranky when she gets home late, so he gives her time to let her frustrations out on others before heading down and outside in his coat, to wait for her coming out to smoke.

She lights up but keeps a respectful distance from Finnick. "Where do you keep getting those from? They're always taken off you?" Finnick asked puzzled. None of the kids have money and he knows fine well the staff didn't give them to her. "None of your business, but what I will say is that I never keep my full stash on me at one time, or I'd lose the lot. I have my way of getting the things I want," she said, Finnick decides he doesn't want to know more.

"I brought my craft and art projects home, to keep and wrap up for my foster parent. Do you think it's a good idea?" He asked. "Finnick I don't want to talk about your lame possible foster or adoptive parent. Do what you think is right, but I don't want to hear about it anymore, at all." She said showing signs of irritation Finnick drops the subject. He was hoping for some supportive advice, but he can tell she won't give it.

The rain comes down heavier and they forced to return inside. They watch afternoon TV and then Finnick tries to be good to Johanna and help her with her homework, she makes a mediocre effort, only in the hopes of not being kept back after class again. He'd like to install the importance of school in her before he leaves, but he's not sure if he'll have enough time to get it through to her.

Finnick goes to bed early, with his arm giving him some pain despite his painkillers. He crosses off one more day, on his calendar and wonders how many more; he'll have to go through, before he can say good bye to the children's home for good.

* * *

**Thank you for reading, hopefully buy the time, I get my next chapter posted I should, I should have been to see Mockingjay pt 1.**


	14. The Lonely Lawyer

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

* * *

**The Lonely Lawyer**

Mags sits up late one evening, with her laptop drinking her scalding black coffee. She loads up the internet and puts in her log in details and signs in to the national foster and adoption website. She always spends hours trawling it, to try and find the one child she feels she could offer the best home too.

She's always hit by the feeling that just maybe, she misses the one that would be right for her. There's are so many children in need of better homes, she'd like to help them all, but in reality she knows she'd only really have the capacity to take care of one child.

Mags has enough space for more than one, but she's not sure she could cope with two or more active children, with potential behavioural and or emotional needs. If she was married and had someone else to help her and share the work she might consider it, but right now she's single and would have to deal with any child's needs alone. She could hire a nanny but she wouldn't want to rely too heavily on them, because it would defeat the point of taking a child in if she rarely saw it.

She hasn't been able to get on the foster and adoption website for just over a month, she's moved into a new housing estate and had to have the home approved as being safe enough, for a child. Earlier in the evening she received the call, that her new home had passed and she could once again look for a child.

She searches with the state California as the only location criteria and makes a list of possible children she'd like to enquire about and the numbers for the caseworkers so that in the morning, she can ring them up and see about setting up a meeting with any of the children on her list.

Mags sighs tiredly logs off and shuts the laptop down, knowing that she really needs to get sleep for work tomorrow. Her home is large and lovely but just too empty and quiet with only her living there, her life plans didn't quite work out the way she'd intended. Now she's left looking for other way to make her family.

In her bedroom she completes her nightly ritual, not with a prayer but a hope. "I hope I'll soon find you and together will complete each other's lives and mend our damaged pasts. I'm looking for _you_ I'm trying," She said looking out of her bedroom window on the quiet cul de sac. She sighs heavily again and closes the curtains and gets into bed for the night.

Her work day is busy with meetings and paper work and a court case to attend. Mags is both the owner and a lawyer. People travel far to request she take on their case, she dealt with some large high profile cases in her time.

At Lunch se sits in the staff from with her friend and colleague Harrison. "Are you on the hunt for another child?" He asked. He's always been a supporter of her dream foster or adopt a child. She often runs her potential choices past him. "Yes, my new home has been approved. I looked through the database of children again last night." She takes out her printed out list, with details and colour photos, so that she can show him the children she's considering applying to look after.

He looks through them. "You know Mags, I've always said, you'd be a great mother to a boy," he said. Mags grew up with just her mother and two sisters after her dad died in a car accident. She's always been more comfortable around other females.

Not that she hasn't considered a boy, just that she isn't sure how she'd cope with one alone, being female and raised in a house full of women, she knows she equipped to deal with anything a girl would go through, but not confident enough to know how to deal with a boy, especially in the dreaded teenage years.

"Maybe I'll try fostering a boy at some point," She said non-committally. "I think you'd be better at it then you think, after all you run this place and you're one of the few women here, but you keep all us guys in line just fine. Trust me when I say I have two teenage daughters and one son, not a teenager yet, but even so girls are no easier to deal with than boys," he said not it's not the first time he's made such a comment to her. "I will keep it in mind and you never know what may happen."

He looks through in silence while Mags eats. "Maybe you should widen your search, there are lots for kids all over the USA that need new homes and you're list is quiet short, maybe if you considered looking further afield you'd find a few more to add."

It's the reason she always consults Harrison for his advice, he normally comes up with good ideas. "I could, but surely they'd consider people from the state the child lives in first," she said. "Not necessarily, it depends greatly upon the needs of the child, or at least you'd assume that's how it would work," He said. "It wouldn't do any harm I guess, I'll look later when I get back." Mags said finishing her lunch.

"Well it's been good chatting in the lunch break, but I still have so many things to do, this afternoon, so I really must, be going. Thank you for the chat and I will consider everything," she heads back to her office, to the pile of work she still has left to do before, she leaves.

She ends up working longer than she'd like and the sky is turning the colours of twilight, by the time she's getting into her car. Mags sits in it and calls, the numbers for the four girls caseworkers, she picked from the database. She met with a similar response from all the case workers. 'You'll be added to a list of interested possible foster parents' a response she receives is she's just been placed, with a family and I'll add you to the list in case it doesn't work out.'

She never seem to have much look, frustration boils up in her she starts her car engine and drives, to her too quite home, that's to clean, with only her dog Dasher for company. As she gets in she finds the dog waiting excitedly for her at the door from the garage.

Dasher is a mixed breed dog, with two mismatched eyes, one blue the other green. Mags rescued her from an animal shelter. Even with her for company though, Mags can't fill the void she feels in her heart for a child. "Hi Dasher I'm home, it's good to see you girl," she said to the dog as it wags its tail happily. She puts fresh water in Dashers bowl and gives her some wet dog food. During the day whilst Mags is out, if Dasher needs food she has a food dispenser filled with dog biscuits. That she ensures is always topped up.

Most people assumes that she has it all, a good house a large bank balance and the ability to pick when she works, the kind of life most would love to lead but few ever do. Mags likes to wait until after tea to walk Dasher, because there are less children playing out. Walking the dog at weekend or shortly after the school get out brings her too much pain. Happy children playing or running to greet their parents at the end of the day, knowing that none of them will run to her and call her mom.

The estate being fairly new, most residents know each other or bits about each other they've learned, over coffee. When she walks around at any time when the kids are out, sometime she receives peculiar looks and suspicious looks, form well-meaning adults who are clearly left wondering why a single woman would buy a family home on a family estate, with no children of her own or even a partner.

She's made a conscious effort to get to know her closest neighbours to either side of her, both have older children, but she can't bring herself to get to know the families, with young children, when she's still struggling to achieve the family, she wants to have and has suffered so much heartbreak. Going round for coffee and being able to temporarily enjoy, being in the company of their children, isn't quite as comforting as her friends and neighbours intend it to be and only causes her greater pain, when she has to return home to just her dog. Those who know her well enough call the lonely lawyer.

After having tea and taking dasher out for an evening jog round the estate, she sits on the sofa, with Dasher next to her. "You know Dasher; I'm not having much luck, finding the right little girl. Do you think we should look into having a boy around here? It would certainly be a change for us." Mags might talk to Harrison when she needs verbal advice, but she talks to Dasher whenever she wants to consider things out loud, without having anyone attempt to sway her decision.

"I guess I could, look into it, I could always give the child back or just foster them temporarily, see how it works out. There's no saying I'll have any more luck getting a boy." She scratches Dashers ears absent-mindedly. "I'd hate having to do that again though send a child back, it must be heart breaking for children as much as adults like me, for them to bounce round homes, never finding a permanent place. If I really want to eventually a child, I guess I have to stop being such a coward. How much harder could it be to take care of a boy, instead of a girl?" She said to Dasher who rests her head on Mags's knees. She shifts the reluctant dog over to get her laptop from her bag.

This time she adds Oregon, Nevada and Arizona to her search criteria; she includes boys as well as girls but excludes sibling groups. Her list does indeed grown alarmingly she looks through as many children as she can, to come up with a list, that she'll have to eventually shorten, the children are listed by alphabetical order and state.

One catches her attention, standing out more than the others. It isn't the profile that draws her immediately to him, but his unusual green eyes. "Finnick Richardson, nine years old, from Oregon. He loves swimming, fishing and other sports, his favourite lessons are science and math," she said reading allowed to herself. All the children's profiles are important, to ensure she finds the best match to her own hobbies and interests,t but she can't help being drawn into the child's eyes and expression.

Finnick beams happily in his photo but his eyes are doleful, he also possess an older than his years look, as most of the other do. Something about him grabs at her heart in a way the other children didn't, she'd give anything to reach through the photo and comfort him. She reads his profile through carefully and fully a second time before deciding to add him to her list.

She takes down his caseworker's number and checks her watch, it's six O'clock. His caseworker might have left for the evening but there's should be someone in the office, she could register her interest with. She takes her phone from her pocket and rings; it takes a while before the phone is answered.

"Hello I'm Mags Odair, are you Macy Aston?" She asked. "Yes I'm Macy, how can I help you?" "I'm enquiring about one of the children you're caseworker for. Finnick Richardson." "Oh, Finnick," She said, sounding more than a little surprised. "Did you by any chance read his _full_ profile? There's been a lot of interested people, but we are look for a _single _female or a female partnership to take him."

Mags doesn't enjoy being asked, if she's fully read his profile before making the call, she always carefully reads through the children's profiles and tries to remain realistic about, whether a child would work well for her, it's also when she gets Harrison involved, to stop her heart from ruling her head. "Yes thank you I _did_ note, what his profile said. I'm a single woman, looking for a young child around Finnick age."

Over the phone she could swore she almost hears Macy sitting up straighter. "One moment, while I find my pen." She hears the other woman open a drawer and rifle through it. "Aha.. Right OK I have some extra questions I have to ask if you don't mind." There are always a lot of questions caseworkers ask, so Mags is prepared to go through the long list again, as most are asked as standard.

She's asks everything for her age, address to questions on issues like religion and whether she smokes or not. If anything Macy seems to be more thorough than some other caseworkers, Mags has previously dealt with, she hopes that if anything it'll be good for Finnick in the long run. "OK, thank you for answering so many questions, I'll have to ask Finnick if he'd like to meet with you, but you'd have to come up to Oregon for that, if Finnick agrees. Would you be able to do that?"

Mags heart beats faster; Macy didn't mention a waiting list. "Yes of course, I'd have to speak to my colleague to reschedule, a few things, but I have no problem getting a plane to Oregon." Mags said "I can give the home Finnick's in a ring and see, if he's interested in meeting you. Could you send me a picture, with a bit about you so that I can send it to Finnick to have a look at? I think it's always helpful for a child to see the person who'd like to foster or adopt them."

Mags is thrilled. "Yes I'll get right on it and I'll e-mail it to you, thank you for considering me." She and Macy exchange email details and Mags types information about herself on the computer in her study, she takes care to lay out the information, in way that would be easy for a child to read and stays away form long paragraphs, since Finnick himself will be reading it. Lastly she selects a recent picture of herself, dressed casually and smiling, she adds it to her e-mail before sending it to Macy and waiting.

It feels like the world's longest wait, but in reality it's no more than twenty minutes. Her phone rings aging she picks it up. "Hello" she said hoping more than she thought she would for good news. "Thank you for waiting, Finnick would love to meet you; he's very excited especially about the possibility of going to California. Is it possible that we could work out a day and time for you to come and visit him?" She thought it'd take a while to be offered the chance to meet him, if at all. "Of course, when's best for yourself and Finnick? I can be quite flexible over dates and times, I have an agreement with my colleague that he'd take some of my work if need be, so that I don't miss out on a potential child," she said referring to Harrison.

"Ideally we're looking at after school or weekend, but if there are any difficulties with that, we could arrange for a time in school," Macy said. Mags gets out her diary. "I should be able to make this weekend, I have one meeting but as I've said, my colleague will no doubt take that for me, if I could have a few minutes to speak with him and book a suitable flight, I'll try my best for a morning one then I'd be able to see Finnick at any point over the Saturday or Sunday."

She makes a quick call to Harrison to get him to go to the meeting for her and checks available flights. Mags manages to book a flight for six in the morning, she doesn't expect to see Finnick that early but it'll give her time to have breakfast and to quell her own nerve and to get from the airport to Macey's office. "Ok, I have an early morning flight, so any time Saturday I can do." Mags said. She and Macy work out a time and Macy emails her map, to her office.

On Friday evening Mags packs, for her trip, she wants to take Finnick some photos, of her home, Dasher, the park and some of the fishing trips she's been on. She manages to fit the small photo album in her and along with some candy. Children always love candy and it might help her to start a discussion with him if he's anxious about meeting her.

Her flight to Oregon is a tense one and she worries over whether she and Finnick will connect. Mags also continues to question whether she'll be able to care for a boy, but she knows the only way to find out is to try. When her plane lands she gets breakfast, kills sometime in the airport and then hails a taxi, to Macy's office in Morton.

Morton is a rough looking area and Mags is glad she left everything of value at home. She gets out of the taxi, outside the small office building. Mags signs in at reception and gets directions to Macy's office. The child protection service has many workers and decks in an open plan arrangement, the offices seem crowded and most of the employees look stressed, she's glad it's not her job, to help with often difficult home lives and personal situations, the children have come from.

Macy's office is on the second floor, with her name on the door. Mags knocks and enters, the office is small, Mags's Law firm has a larger cleaning closet than Macy's office. "It's good to see you Mags, I hope you got here all right. I'm sorry my desk is such a mess." She's slightly deflated when she doesn't see Finnick and Macy picks up on that.

"Don't worry Finnick is here, but we have procedures for these matters, we have a playroom where the kids can relax, before meeting potential foster or adoptive parents. I'll take you to see him soon enough, but first I'd like to ask if you have any question about Finnick? After you meet him if you're still interested in taking him, I'll go over his history with you." Mags did come up with some questions to ask.

She starts with one that she considers important. "Why does Finnick need an urgent home?" "As your aware we like to find permanent homes for as many children as possible, but sometime they have to stay at children's home for a time. Unfortunately Finnick isn't doing so well in his; there's a boy in particular that's caused him considerable distress and even physical harm. The parents at home have done what they can by moving Finnick to a different room, after one of the other children was fostered, but he'd really benefit form a more permanent home with less other children to bother him."

Mags has no idea what it's like in a children's home but she suspects, they must be quite difficult places to live in, in some cases. "So Finnick didn't cause any trouble then?" "There was a fight, but Finnick _didn't_ start it. He needed hospital treatment for a broken arm. Finnick's a good boy, who stays out of trouble," Macy replied. "Does he have any emotional, health or any type of other behaviour issues, I should be aware of?" Mags asked hoping for honest answers and being alert to any possible lies.

Mags only fostered one girl previously and she had more issues than any inexperienced forester carer, should have been asked to deal with. She really felt the girl need to be with someone who had more experience than herself. Mags had to give the girl back but not without causing herself serious guilt and feeling like she'd failed.

"Finnick does have nightmares and anxiety around adult males, which can result in him acting out. Which is why, I specified a female only home. He's having therapy and he is making progress but he needs more time, before he can be left solely with males he doesn't know. His therapist said that he should be able to recover, given aporpriate help and support." Mags doesn't mind having to help with that, and makes a note to be very careful about introducing Finnick to her workmates and friends. "Would he be all right, to be homed with me, I have very little experience fostering and some children, require homes with more of that than I have, I only ask because my last attempt to foster went bad for that reason." Mags said honestly.

Macy nods "Finnick should be fine, he's never been fostered before, so we can't rule out, that something unforeseen might happen. However I am confident that Finnick would suite a home with a fairly new foster parent. He really wants a new start and I'm sure, he'd try hard to fit in. " Macy answered making Mags fee at least a little better.

"As for health issues he has asthma, which he needs check-ups and medication for. He also has post-traumatic stress disorder but, it's quit mild considering what he's been through, he's otherwise in good health. He also might take a while to reach out to you for affection; he's used to not having much." Again it's an issue Mags is sure she could cope with. "That's all the questions I can think of at this time, but I may have more after I meet him." Macy nods. "OK, I can take you up to see Finnick now."

They go up to the next floor to the playroom." Just come back to my room when you're ready," she said pushing the door open to let Mags in. The play room has a jungle theme painted on its walls; there are other children inside and other adults that are either potential families or playroom assistants.

Finnick's over at the far side paying in a sand table. He looks up nervously, Mags give him a warm smile and he returns it with his own, his however is much wearier. "Hello Finnick, my name's Mags," she said offering him her hand, he takes it hesitantly. "I'm Finnick Sunrise Richardson," he said gaining a little confidence as he speaks.

"You have a lovely name Finnick, I see you like playing in the sand," she said gesturing to where he's drawing pictures in to with his fingers. "I love the sand, I used to live by the sea, in California, and I was born there. Will you take me to the beach? If I live with you?" He asked. "Of course I will, I live close to it myself and I like to go when I can," she said helping him to fill up a bucket with sand.

"Can I ask you a question?" He said clearly still nervous. "Yes, ask whatever you want." He hesitates again, "Why didn't you have your own children?" He asked not unkindly, she put in her details for him, that she had no other children. "Well Finnick, I was very career driven. I went to law school and worked for the best law firm in New York. I meet a man I loved dearly, his family owned, the law firm. As most adults do we married, we tried to have children three times, but unfortunately I never got to hold any of my babies." She said keeping her explanation as simple as possible. "You had miscarriages then?" She nods her head sadden by old pain.

Mags is surprised he knows the word and its meaning at such a young age. "Yes, my husband wanted to try again after the third, but I was too sad Finnick, I couldn't bear another loss. I said no, at the time I didn't want children any more. Our relationship broke down and we divorced. I was far from my own family and loved ones so I moved back to California for a new start."

"I'm sorry you lost your babies, I lost my dad and my sister and it hurts very much." The sun light bathes Finnick in a warm glow, and shows the colours in his hair, but his face is devastating in its, too young knowledge of such matters and it's overwhelming grief. She'd like to hug Finnick as she wanted to when she first saw his photo, but she knows they don't yet have that sort of relationship and she doesn't want to freak him out by offering it.

"I'm sorry you've lost so much Finnick, I'd like you to come live with me and see if we can help each other to feel better. I can't change what happened in your past, but I _can_ help you to have a happy future," she said he nods and looks her straight in the eyes, with his unusual but friendly bright green ones.

"I'd like that, please take me away from Cato, I'll be very good, I won't be trouble. He did this." Finnick said rising his plaster casted arm. "Oh Finnick, that's awful," She said wanting to take him back on the plane with her right away. "It's not even the worst thing, he did, I keep my sister cuddly lion and..and-" Finnick burst into tears, this time Mags has to try far harder not to hug him, "Hush, I won't let him or anyone let hurt you, if you come live with me."

She hands him a tissue to wipe his eyes on. "What did he do?" she asked coaxing him gently to finish. "He ripped it open and tore out the stuffing, now I only have what's left." He said crying again, Mags can't believe the cruelty. She would have thought children in care would look after each other and bond, but it's obviously not the case.

"Maybe I could fix it for you." He freezes in disbelief with hope lingering faintly in his eyes. "My mom taught me how to sow; I made clothes and even some of my own soft toys. I can't promise to definitely fix it, but could have a look and see, if there's any way to mend it," He gasps. "You'd try and fix it for me?" "Yes Cato had no right, to rip it; I'd do what I could to fix it for you. My sowing kit is back home and I'd have to get some toy padding, but I promise to do what I can."

Finnick smiles "How long will it be before you take me with you? I really do want to come and not just because you said you'd try and fix it. You seem like a nice lady." He said eagerly and with great enthusiasm. "I couldn't say exactly we'd have to, go talk to Macy and see what she says about." He smiles happily, his earlier sadness forgotten and replaced by pure hope.

Mags take his hand when he offers it to her and leads him to Macy's office, she knocks on the door and wait with him until they're told they can enter. "I want to foster Finnick, as soon as possible," Mags said not wanting to beat around the bush. "Excellent, how do you feel about that Finnick?" "I want to go, I can get my toys today,Please let me go with Mags," he said still brimming enthusiasm.

"I'm afraid it won't be today, we can _start_ the process and fill out the paper work, but it could be a while," she said, not committing to a time frame, she adds. "Plus Mags has to arrange a new school, doctor and dentist for you." Finnick looks like his hearts had been ripped out, he threatens to cry again.

"Hey Finnick, don't worry, it'll be OK, I'll sort everything out as quickly as I can. I'll take the day off on Monday and I'll get on the phone and go visit the local schools. I'll also get my friend in family law to see if she can, help speed the process up a bit. You will come live with me Finnick, we just have to do the long bit first." He still seems unhappy but less broken. "Please don't forget about me," he pleaded causing her, to want to cry with him, but knowing it won't help him or herself. "I won't I promise, when I go home this evening, I'll do as much as I can. You just have to be good and patient until everything sorted out and I'm sure Macy will update you." Macy nods.

"I'll keep track of how Mags is doing with arrangements and let you know when the paper work has been processed and finalised." Fnnick nods again "I'll be good just please be quick, someone told Cato where I keep my homework and he's ripping it up again and pushing me when the house parents and Johanna aren't around." Again Mags wishes she could take Finnick there and then all over again, but she knows she has to jump through the hoops first.

Macy has an assistant take Finnick back to the play room, so the two of them can go through his history and paper work. "I'm glad Finnick seems to have taken to you so well, since you're keen to foster him, I'll tell you briefly about his personal circumstances and go into more detail once everything is complete."

She gets up and closes the door to the small office that the assistant left open and takes her seat again. "Finnick was the surviving child of the Morton two. His younger sister Breeze died and his grandparents refused to take him, there were no other available relatives for him to go to." Mags is gobsmacked, she heard of the terrible case on the news. She wanted her firm to handle the case free of charge against the mother and the neighbour, but the case had been taken up by someone other firm in Oregon. Mags couldn't help with that, but she did donate money to his sister's funeral, like many other outraged decent people cross the USA.

She'll stop at nothing to give him a better life. "Please continue," she said to Macy who waited for Mags to recover herself. "As you can imagine, Finnick has terrible nightmares and still carries the guilt of not saving his sister, he's a tough kid though and with continued help, there's a lot of hope he can come through this. I'm sure you can also better understand why he's anxious and may fight if left with other men, he's unsure of." Macy said. "Obviously, it must have been horrendous, being so badly let down and abused."

They spend a long time going through the paper work necessary for Finnick's fostering and the details she'll need to send off. She agrees to take him for six months but could adopt him sooner, if all goes well and both she and Finnick are happy. She would adopt him straight off, but she knows, she must remain cautious and make sure it really would be right for them both.

"I'll make sure the paper work is processed urgently, but as we've already discussed, he needs a school, doctor and a dentist in California before he can be given to you. Also I should just say Finnick skipped a grade and is in the fifth grade not the fourth, just so you know when you come to sort that out. I can have his current school transfer his record." Macy said.

"Thanks, I'll make sure I get him into the right grade then, he's obviously very smart." Mags said impressed by Finnicks intellect. "Just one more thing, if fostering Finnick doesn't go well, we can arrange for him to go back into care and to be fostered by someone else." Macy said "Thank you, you've been very helpful." Mags puts her bag back on her shoulder, feeling reluctant to leave.

"Please can I say good bye to Finnick before I leave?" They said a quick goodbye before he was taken to the playroom. "Sure I'll just go back upstairs to the playroom; I'll be taking him back to the children's home when I'm finished here." She opens the door to find him sat in a corner cuddling his knees.

He doesn't look up until he hears her approaching. "Hi Finnick, I came to say good bye one last time, please don't be sad. It won't be long now before you can see me again, the time will fly by. I forgot to show you these. She takes the small photo album from her bag and offers him the candy she fetched.

These are some pictures I thought you might like to see, she shows them to him. "Why don't you look after it until I see you again? You can look at them when you feel sad." He looks through them, "You have a dog," he said cheering up at the picture of Dasher. "Yes her names Dasher, she's very friendly, she like going for walks, sitting on your knee and licking you."Mags said relived Finnick seems happy about a dog. "I had two. I can't take the photos though; Cato will destroy them if he gets them," Fininck said sadly. "I have copies of all my photos, so he won't truly destroy them, these ones can be yours and if he rips them, you can have more copies when you come to stay." "Thank you Mags I'd like that," he said accepting the album, along with the candy.

"Now I'm sorry to leave you, but I have to go home and make arrangements, for you coming to live with me, try not to be too sad now, work hard at school and have fun with your friends and we'll see each other soon. Bye for now Finnick."Mags said feeling her heart hurt at the prospect of leaving him. "Bye Mags and thanks for letting me come and stay with you." He watches until she's out the door she turns and gives him one last wave that he returns.

Mags can't help but cry on the plane home, knowing that he has to go back to his children's home, her only consolation is that, he'll be coming to live with her. She gets on the phone to her secretary soon as she's home, to ask him to reschedule, her Monday so that she can take it off and arrange all the things Finnick needs.

On Monday, she's is up early to ring the closest elementary school; she manages to get a morning appointment. Finding a doctor and a dentist proves to be the easier jobs, Mags has good health insurance and the medical centre she uses isn't oversubscribed, her dentist also has room to add Finnick to the list.

She was lucky to get an appointment with the Principal before the school day started. She sits outside Principal Keagan's office waiting for her to finish a phone call. "Miss Odair, you can come in now," the Principal said coming out of her office briefly, to call Mags In.

"Welcome to Ellington Elementary school, you're here to enquire about enrolling a child with us." The principal said shaking hands with Mags. "Yes that's right, I have a foster child coming to stay with me, I don't have a specific date as yet, Finnick requires a school place before he can come and live with me, he needs an urgent home instead of a children's home." Mags said "What age is Finnick? With the new housing estate, we're full for some grades."

Mags hopes they'll still be room for him. "He's nine years old, but he's very bright, he's skipped a grade and now attends fifth grade instead of fourth grade." The principal looks pained. "I'm afraid our fifth grade class here is full to capacity, we've taken as many children as possible, but I really can't take anyone else at this time, we already have more children than we really should have," She said.

"its fine, I was going to see the other elementary school in the area," Mags said. "I had the other elementary school call a few days ago enquiring, if I had room here for a fifth grader, so I'm afraid there just aren't any places and some students are now having to be home schooled as a result, maybe you could try that," the principal said helpfully.

The school district should be able to help you with temporary home schooling; I'll give you the number. You could look into middle school places for him, for next year, you should still be able to find a place for him if you start looking now, you can always cancel the place, if he doesn't need it for whatever reason, I wish I could be of more help to you."

It's not entirely as bad as it could have been, she's almost certain that as long as Finnick receives schooling, it wouldn't matter if he had to be home schooled a while. He could be privately schooled, but she's unsure how he might take to that. "Its fine you've been very helpful, I'll call the school district as soon as I'm home. She shakes hands with the principal and leaves again.

When she calls about home schooling, she gets passed around a bit before finally being put through to someone one who's useful enough, to confirm that they can put Finnick on the home schooling list and just to call them back when she knows exactly when, he'll be living with her.

With all the arrangements set she calls Macy, to let her know that everything's in place. "Please inform Finnick that, I have everything ready, here. As long as nothing has changed from your point of view" She said. "No, nothing's changed, your still then only person, that currently meets Finnick needs, so we can continue with the process and anyone else will be put on a list, in case there are any issues. Finnick will be delighted, to hear that, everything sorted and it's just a matter of waiting, for the rest of the paper work and for the process to be finalised. "Thank you for being so quick, with the arrangements for him." Macy said.

Mags knows the next few weeks or months for her and Finnick, will be the worst and longest of both their lives. Even with the help of her friend in family law. She knows she won't be the only one counting days, until she can have him come to stay.

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**I've had to use creative license with this chapter, I'm not sure how this process would be handled. All I know is that some children can be up for foster or adoption at the same time and I figured Finnick would fit into that category and I didn't think it would suite Mags' character to adopt straight away.**

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**I have watched Mockingjay pt 1 it was all right but not brilliant, I think they missed out a few Finnick scenes, but it's not bad. The book is better.**


	15. Forever Home

Disclaimer: I don't own the hunger games

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**Forever Home**

Three days is all Finnick has, just three more days of putting up with Cato. Three more days before he's out of the house full of screaming children. Three more days to hang out with Johanna before, he finally sees Mags her home and Dasher the dog.

Finnick's hopes of being reunited with Mags before Christmas didn't exactly turn out. He was told by Macy that every effort was made for it to happen; instead he'll be going to Mags' home just two days later. He couldn't understand why he had to wait to extra days, his only answer was 'it's complicated.'

The house has been decorated with handmade and donated decoration, Finnick worked hard on helping to make them and even made cardboard and paper reindeer hats with Chloe, who still says very little. Finnick's grown quite used to her and even tries to be nice to her.

He goes down for breakfast on Christmas morning, "Happy Christmas!" The house parents said, as he enters for breakfast. Most days they have cereal for breaks fast, but he's surprised to see, a bowl of scrambles eggs, a dish with sauces, a plate and bread and one on stacked pancakes. The house parents must have spent a lot time cooking it all.

His stomach grumbles, Finnick takes his usual seat and waits for Johanna to arrive. Some of the other kids are already helping themselves, so he does the same. He kneels on his seat and reaches over to the bowl of eggs and gets a large spoon full and the uses the serving tongs to pick out three of the least blackened sausages and two slices of buttered bread.

"Would you like some orange Finnick?" Brenda asked. His mouth is far too full to answer, so he gives a big nod instead, she fills a glass for him and continues around the table. Finnick is half way through his plate of food, when Johanna arrives to sit next to him. "Happy Christmas," He said, feeling quite cheery, compared to his earlier days in the children's home.

"There's nothing to be happy about." She snapped as she sits next to him. Although Finnick's mood has improved, hers has declined. He suspects she's unhappy he's going through with being fostered, but she refuses to admit any such thing. Whenever he asked if she would miss him her reply is always 'no' and when he made a point of her being even less happy than normal her response is. 'I just hate Christmas' she out right refuses to talk about him leaving.

Once all the children finished breakfast they gather in the living room, they all had to make each other, one Christmas card. With the exception of Cato and Johanna who refused to participate, Finnick still wrote cards to both. Inside Cato's it read _'Happy Christmas and goodbye, I'm off to my forever home, where you'll never hurt me again_.' In Johanna's he put a picture of the two of them in, one that the parents took, and wrote _'Don't forget me, I'll miss you and I know you'll miss me too_.'

She accepts his card silently and brushes away some tears, when she thinks no one will see them. Finnick notices, but doesn't say anything about it. All the children receive a couple of gifts from donations to the children's home. Finnick gets sweater that's miles too big for him and a set of toy cars.

They're all left in the same room watching TV, while the Christmas meal is cooked. Cato surprises him by not bothering him once, while they watch, he keeps his distance on the other side of the room. "Dinners ready!" Brenda calls. They all flood out of the living room and too the kitchen.

There's a slight argument over seats and which poor person sits next to Enobaria, but it's quickly resolved by Mason. It's more like Christmas Lunch come Tea, they don't have a whole turkey but, slices on a plate and a mixture of vegetable in bowls and a jar of cranberry sauce.

The turkeys dry and some of the vegetables are still partially hard form not being cooked long enough, Finnick doesn't care though, he's glad to have food on his plate. He's gone so often without knowing if he'll even have anything to eat, that he's just grateful for anything.

Johanna remains distant for the rest of the day and Finnick ends up having to play with the other kids. His Christmas day could have been worse. "Finnick I've set the laptop up, on your bed, there's a special message for you," Brenda said. He runs up stairs in his too big sweater, the arms are so long they come down past his hands and need pushing back up his arms often..

The webcams on and Macy smiles back at him, "Hi Finnick, I thought you'd appreciate an early gift, so I set this up for you. Macy does something and the screen splits with Mags in the second half. "Happy Christmas Finnick, Mags said waving." He all most can't believe it, he waves back. "Hi Mags Happy Christmas to you too." He hears a 'woof' and Mags lifts up Dasher. "Dasher says Happy Christmas as well." She waves the dogs paw at him.

"Hi Dasher." Finnick yelled "I'll leave you to talk to Mags alone," Macy said. The screen turns to one whole view of Mags, she puts Dasher back on the floor. "Have you enjoyed your day?" Finnick nods "It's been all right, but I'd be much happier with you."Finnick admitted seeing no reason to lie. "Good, not much longer now. Have you got everything ready, for when you come to stay?" She asked "Yes, I don't have much anyway."Finnick adjusts how he's sat to be more comfortable.

"Did you have a good day Mags?" He asked back, knowing it's the polite thing to do. "Yes thank you, I had dinner with my sisters, so I had to wait until I got home to talk to you, I hope you don't mind." "No I'm just glad, you did. Can I sing you a Christmas song?" Finnick asked excitedly wanting to impress her. "Go on then, I'll join in if it's one that I know." He and Mags sing jinglebells and Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, with Dashers occasional 'woof' in the back ground.

They also talk about how he's been doing at school and what he'd like to do when he gets to California. They talk until Mason comes up to tell him it's bed time. "I have to go now Mags, I'll see you soon though." "Bye Finnick, I look forward to you coming." Mags turns off the webcam and Finnick shuts down the laptop and closes it, he give it back to Mason. "Just a couple more sleeps left," he said to himself, crossing another day off the calendar before getting into bed.

The last two days for his stay at Sunny Grove Children's home flyby. Mason helps him to pack his clothes coat into a box and school books, which will be going into the cargo hold of the plane, his back pack he fits his doctors case, the remains of his lion and the newspaper wrapped craft projects, they won't all fit so he leaves some to Chloe.

"Ok, best say goodbye to everyone, Macy will be hear soon, to take you to Mags." Finnick goes round finding the other children and to say his goodbyes, In most cases it's just a brief 'bye, I'm off to my foster home.' Its meet mainly with a lukewarm response, form the others that have experienced their own time in foster home at one point or another and have ended up back in a care home for whatever reason.

Chloe his room mate though hugs him, "I'll miss you Finnick," she said crying on him. He's painfully reminded of his own sister. "Be good Chloe, do well at school, you'll get a home, someone who will love you." He said before breaking off the hug to search out Cato

Although he never liked Cato, he still wants to at least say good bye and be the better man, as his dad would have said he should. everything Cato's done no longer matters anyway, Finnick will be gone form the home, Mags will try and fix the lion and his arm will heal and Cato will be the pitiful boy, always hurting others and damaging things just to get scraps of attention, stuck in a children's home until he's old enough to leave.

Finnick goes to the room he shared with him, one he's now sharing with some other poor new boy. He knocks and enters without invitation. "Well I'm leaving today, I don't expect a good bye from you, but I hope I won't have to come back here ever." Cato doesn't reply.

He's half way to the door "Finnick, if this home you're going too, is even slightly better than whatever you came from, stay there, I screwed up, no one wants me now. I'm twelve next month; most kids who make to that age end up stuck one of children's homes. If this new place is good then stay there and don't come back not for Jo or Chloe. Get out of this place for your own sake."

Finnick's more stunned than if Cato had hit him, he never expected even a small kind act form him. "I will thank you." It's not an apology for anything, but the fact alone that Cato wants him to find a good home, suggest there's still some good in him somewhere.

There's little time left before Macy arrives to take him to Mags, he searches the whole house inside and out for Johanna, asking all the kids if they've seen her. "Come on Finnick, Macy's waiting for you; you have a plane to catch."Brenda yelled he tries desperately to find her for another few minutes. "Finnick you really must get going, I'll tell Johanna you said goodbye but you can't wait long. If she's not in the house it's possible she doesn't want to say goodbye." Finnick sighs heavily. "Tell Jo I'll miss her, and tell her thanks for being a good friend."

He puts on his coat and backpack and walks out to the car, down the icy pavement, that's been cleared of the recent snow. He turns to look back at the house once, and he could swear he see Cato waving from his bedroom window.

"Finnick!" Chloe yells form the door, she runs to him almost slipping on the icy path. "I made you this, she holds out a handmade good-bye card. "Thank you Chloe." He takes it, Mason opens the car door. "Come on Finnick, its past time you left." He gets into the car and sits close to the window by Chloe, he puts his seat belt on, as Mason closes the door. "Goodbye Finnick and good luck," he said.

He waves out of the window, sadder than he ever thought he'd be. He doesn't miss everything about the home, but something's he'll never forget, he wishes he could have said a last goodbye to Johanna or left a note, but there wasn't time and he didn't think to write one watches Chloe wave and cry as his car pulls away.

"OK Finnick, we'll have to be quick in the airport, there's no time for hot coco, we've just got to check in and get on the plane." Finnick nods from his seat in the back, trying not to let emotion, stand in the way of his happiness. Today's my happy day, the little voice in his head said.

The airport check-in takes longer than Macy, wants he can tell, she curses, as they get stuck in a long queue. They end up having to run to the departure gate after; they get cleared through the security checks. They are last people to be checked onto the plane, as the last call is made for passengers.

Everyone else is sat waiting for take-off as they find their seats,Macy lets out a long sigh of relief as she sits down after fastening him in. "To Mags we go, I bet you'll be glad to see her again." Macy said, Finnick can see her stress levels drop, as she takes her own seat. "I will." He said feeling more tired than he should for mid-morning. The warm plane makes his eyelids heavy, combined with the sound of the engines soon has him sleeping.

"Finnick we've landed," Macy said shaking him awake, he didn't expect to sleep through landing,as well as the flight but he must of. Finnick feels excitement and apprehension building as he picks up his backpack and takes Macy's hand as the join the people waiting to disembark.

Someone for the Californian Children's Protective Services, meets them in the airport parking lot. "Hi Finnick, I'll be you're new caseworker here in California. My name is Georgia." She said holding her hand out, Finnick shakes it, "Hello." He said just wanting to finally get to Mags, after what fells like forever.

Whilst sitting in the car Finnick watches out the window with interest, to know just where his new home will be, they pass towns and streets. He wants only to live in a house big enough for them both, with his own room and no other kids, as long as he has that he'll be happy. His heart skips a beat as Goergia, drives him up the very street he used to live, when his dad and sister both alive, she doesn't turn off the private access road to it, to his immense relief, but continues up the road and turns off at a new looking estate.

He has no memory of ever seeing, when he last lived in nearby. The sign at the entrance reads, 'Golden Valley Estate.' Finnick remembers for the first time in a long time, about the keys round his neck, his hand goes to them and touches both keys, from the boxes he buried long ago.

Looking around he realises, they might be nearby, he's pretty certain, he's close to where he used to play. He could find them again but he'd have to wait until his arm is better. He looks out at the new built well-made homes and wonders which will be his. He sees children playing out on bikes as the car slows down to let them cross in front of it. A boy speeds off in front of a girl, as she glances into the car window screen, then looks back at the boy ahead of her. "Wait up Ty, don't go so fast, I'm coming." The girl shouted. The boy stops lower down on the other side of the road. "Come on Annie get moving, I don't have all day." The girl catches up and the two race off, in the opposite direction of the car.

The estate is large and Fininck finds it hard to remember which way they came, but he knows he'll find his way, easy enough, he loves exploring. The car enters a cul da sac and pulls up outside one the house in its centre, with a banner outside the door, 'Welcome home Finnick'. Mags' home and now his home too, if he's luck it'll become his forever him, with a mother who loves him and cares.

She comes out of the front door, she smiles with joy and his happy tears in her eyes. Finnick opens the car door and gets out greet her. He's not sure if it's OK to run to her, or if he should, so he smiles and matches Macy's pace. "I made it; I can't believe I'm finally here," he said as he shakes Mags' hand and bends down to stroke Dasher, who gives him a good lick of welcome.

The two caseworks bring everything from the car and follow them inside. They all sit in the living room. "OK, I know, you're probably excited to look round and familiarise yourself with your new home, but we just have a few final things to take care of.

He sits on the sofa next to Mags, with Dasher between them. And the two caseworkers sit on one next to it. "As I said when we met I'll be your new caseworker, form now, I'll give my details to Mags so that if either of you need anything she can call, I'll also make weekly visit to make sure, everything's going all right. As agreed with Mags, you'll be home schooled for the remainder of the year, Mags has a doctor, therapist and dentist set up for you," Georgia said.

"If for any reason things don't work out you can be transferred back to Oregon, but hopefully you'll do fine here with Mags," Macy said. Finnick has no intent of going back, he'll make it work, he's young, but he remembers what it's like to have a good life and he's certain he can have it again if he tries. "Now by law we're required to let you know when, you're birth mom and you're ex-neighbour are out of prison-" "No!" Finnick screams putting his hands to his ears. "Tell Mags if you have to, I don't want to know, I wish they were both dead." Mags tries to soothe him with calming words. "You can tell me, if Finnick even wants to know anything, I'll answer his questions, but I understand that he'd rather not know and it's best not to cause him distress by telling him." Finnick feels a surge of gratitude to Mags, for trying already to protect him.

Georgia hands Mags a sheet of paper with printed information. "OK, however you think is best, is how we'll deal with it. All right before, Macy and I leave. Is there anything either of you would like to ask? Is there anything you need?" Finnick and Mags exchange a look. "Not really but, please remind the house parents to say goodbye to Johanna for me and thank you for bringing me here," Finnick said.

Mags clears her throat. "There's nothing I can think of to say or ask for, other than to repeat, Finnicks thanks, for bringing him here. We should be fine together and I have your number so if either of us need anything, so I think it's just about getting Finnick settled now." They all shake hands as the two caseworkers prepare to leave. They wave them off from the door.

"Wow today's been a big day already," Mags said, as she take Fininck back inside. "How about I give you the grand tour, then if you're hungry we'll eat."Mags said. "Yes thank you I'd like that." Finnick said remembering his manners, it wouldn't be good of him to appear rude as soon as they are alone.

"The room we were just in is the one I use as the main living area with television and DVD's, there's coat pegs by the door a shoe rack below it, to leave wet shoes by the door, if it's been very rainy or if they're muddy and need cleaning," Mags said pointing out both to him. The room here next to the main living room, is the downstairs half bathroom and the entrance from the garage." Mags opens both doors to show him inside.

The two rooms opposite are the utility room and a small study, or homework room I set up for you, so that you have more room, in your bedroom for other things, it'll also be a better space for you to be home schooled in. It was original a playroom, but there was only one box of toys, I've moved into the second sitting room," Mags explained to him. They stop at the French doors to the back outside area and the last large room at the back of the ground floor.

The largest room at the back with archway entrance is, the Kitchen dining room, fitted with modern modern stainless steel and chrome kitchen with light wooden counters, spotlights in the celling and a large range oven The dining room has a large twelve sweater table made of pale wood, all the seat around it black leather chairs that look softly padded, for sitting on. A modern light fitting hangs over the centre of the dining table, Finnick stare up at it in wonder. "It's called a five glass pendant light, because of the five separate lights, which hang down at different lengths; it's even prettier at night." Mags said.

The final two rooms across from the Kitchen and dining room are, a larger study belonging to Mags and the second sitting room, with one sofa, coffee table, the toy box Mags moved and Dashers dog bed. Finnicks impressed by the spacious ground floor, it's more than he could ever have asked for in a home. Finnick follows her up the stairs.

"This is the room I've planned for you to have, just opposite from mine; it has its own private bathroom and a large walking closet with sliding doors. If you don't like this room, you can pick one of the others, they don't have their own bathrooms, but make use of the family one, next door to you room. The last two rooms are the guest rooms, but one of them could serve as yours if you'd prefer," Mags said.

Finnick walks into the room and smiles with joy, his room is huge compared to what he had both in the children's home and in Morton. He has a queen sized bed and lots of room to play, shelves for his toys, space under his bed two bedside tables with lamps on for reading at night and a book case he can fill with books, there's even a small dressing table and chair.

"Thank you Mags this room is perfect, I'll like sleeping in this big room, but it'll be weird not having anyone else in my room at night," he said, only realizing how strange it will be, now he finally has a quiet room of his own. "I'm pleased you like it, I know it's not really decorated, for a child but we can easily change a few things in here, if you stay permanently." Mags said still stood in the door way as Finnick looks further into the room and the walk-in closet.

With the tour complete they decide on a home made tuna pasta bake. Mags insists he watches cartoon or plays with Dasher while she makes the dinner. Finnick's still not used to not having to do those things himself, but he enjoys being able to watch what he wants, instead of what the most dominant kids want on TV. A little part of him feels guilty for not at least offering his help, but he's determined to show Mags that he'll listen to her and do as he's told.

Mags calls him back into the kitchen for Lunch, he eagerly takes his seat. He can tell she's a good cooking just looking at the food in front of him. She spoons a good helping onto his plate and allows him to add his own salad, she sits opposite him. "I hope it's too your liking." Finnick loads up his forck and puts it into his mouth, it's creamy cheesy and contains peas and sweetcorn, which he loves. Mags smiles approvingly, as he continues to savour his first mouthful of her food.

Finnicks glad he doesn't have to politely pretend to like it; he stops eating only to drink his water. After finishing his food, he smiles "It's much better than what I had at the children's home, everything was from frozen and we had very little fresh food, apart from some of the vegetables and the fruit in the fruit bowl." Mags eats with less speed. "Good, you can have more if you're still hungry." Finnick happily gets more for himself, he feels a little sick with over indulgence, when he finally finishes.

"I thought once the schools go back, we could go look round the middle schools for you, for next year. I thought about just signing you up to one, but I'd like you to be happy at which ever, you attend, I have some booklets on them for you to look at. We don't have to do that just yet, but we perhaps should, before the school go back after Christmas." Mags said, she collect together their plates and glasses and puts them in the dishwasher. "How about we watch a movie, then we'll sort out your room, to give our lunch time to settle?" Finnick nods.

She let Finnick choose a movie form the shelf, Mags has a lot of Disney films, he picks Lion King, he hasn't seen it in so long." Mags puts it on and they sit together having a sing along. He likes the thought that the dead go on and live in everything. "My sisters in the plants and trees now too, she's in every little thing. Do you think so Mags?" He said as the credits roll. "Of course Breeze will always be with you, in your heart, even though you can't see her, any more and she'd be happy to know you're happy." Finnick hopes it's true.

Mags turns of the TV, if you're ready we'll get your room sorted out." She carries his box up and opens it, he's wearing the one of the two pairs of shoes he owns. She takes out each time of clothing he owns and holds it up appraising it, "these look a little big, I'm sure they'll be fine for now, but you could do with a few things that fit a bit better," she said. Finnick helps her hang his clothes up and not even a quarter of the space has been used.

Finnick unpacks his backpack and puts his doctor's case under his bed, he careful takes the lion out and places it on his bed. Mags comes over for a look, "Your lion, may I have a closer look?" Finnick nods and watches on, as Mags carefully unties it and looks over the rip and the detached tail.

She looks up and smiles, "I think I can fix it, why don't we take him down to my study, my sowing kit and magnifying lamp I use are down there and bring you doctors can so you can help." Finnick picks up his case and follows behind her, to her study.

Mags puts the lion on her desk and takes, out what appear to be a large magnifying glass made like a desk lamp and a bag of toy stuffing, she puts it on the desk and plugs it in, she turns on the lights around the outside of the magnifier . "Ok, Doctor Finnick, give the lion some aesthetic and check the lion is sleeping then I'll start the procedure."

Finnick knows in his heart, he's not really doing anything to assist, but he feels it's a nice gesture from Mags to help him feel, involved in sowing the lion up. He opens his doctor's case and shakes the medicine bottle near its head, then puts on his stethoscope and listens to his lion. "The lions sleeping, you can start when you're ready Doctor Odair," Finnick said. "Thank you doctor Finnick, it's a major procedure, but I'm confident our work will be a success." Mags replied.

He watches silently as Mags begins work, carefully stuffing the lion and shaping it. Finnick watches her in amazement, as the lion regains its old shape, tears of gratitude roll down his cheeks. She takes a sowing basket out of her desk draw, opens the section with coloured thread and holds each of the yellow coloured thread to the and selects the best match. She then start to sown the lion back together, Finnick gasp as it closes up and she ties off and cuts the thread, leaving the lion whole again other than its tail.

"The tail will be a bit trickier, some of the thread will show, but the tail will be reattached," Mags said. "Its fine it'll be like a battle scar, I don't mind." She smiles at him. "OK, I'll start the tail reattachment now." She sows the tail onto the back of the lion and snips the thread and gives it a small tug to ensure its secure. She turns off the desk lamp then holds the lion out like the monkey at the beginning of the Lion King movie.

"The operation is a success Doctor Finnick, I suggest you take the lion upstairs to rest and recover, then please meet me in the living room." "Thank you Mags, you're amazing. " He runs upstairs and places the lion in his bed and covers it up, happy that he can finally leave alone and it will be safe from harm, then goes back to re-join Mags.

He opens the living room to see her setting out some wrapped gifts. "I know you wanted to be here for Christmas and so did I, but it wasn't possible I thought we could have our own post-Christmas celebration.

Mags has already been more than kind to him, just taking him and added to that she rescued his lion now she's giving him an extra Christmas to remember. "Mags you don't have too," he said welling up again. "I wanted to, and I hope you're not too full because I have a mini Christmas Tea arranged for us. He's only been in Mags house a few hours, but he feels an overwhelming need to hug her. He runs up and wraps his arms around her, she hugs him back and he realises how much he's missed affection for someone who cares for him.

"Wait I have something for you to." Before she can answer, he goes back upstairs and gets the few, Christmas crafts he managed to fit in his bag, wrapped in newspaper he drew pictures on. He takes his backpack down with them in, so he doesn't drop them. He sits on the floor with Mags and tips them out. "I didn't buy these but I made them for you."

He takes turns with Mags opening a gift each, they both have the same amount. Mags has a candle and hand painted jar, a book mark and a snow man made with pompoms and googly eyes, with felt carrot nose, buttons and scarf. "The gifts are lovely Finnick, I'll keep them and put them out each year and I need a new bookmark, I lost mine recently." She looks just as grateful as he was, when she fixed his lion and just as tearful.

Finnick has a baseball cap, a puzzle book and his favourite gift, operation the game. "Macy told me you wanted to be a doctor, so I thought; you'd like that to play." "Thanks Mags,I love my gifts, I've never played operation but I always wanted to. Will you play with me?"He asked eagerly, there no other children around and it wouldn't be much fun if he played alone. "Of course, but I have to get tea on, so why don't you have a go at some puzzles first and after tea we'll play," Finnick nods in agreement.

He sits doing puzzles until Dasher fetches her ball, for him to throw. Finnick takes her into the hallway and plays fetch until tea, he and Dasher enter the kitchen before Mags calls, the smell enticing both of them. Finnick may have been under weight before, but with Mags cooking, it won't be long until he's over weight.

They enjoy a second Christmas dinner with Turkey and trimming and Finish with mince pies and cream. Finnick huffs "I'm stuffed, I don't remember the last time I had such good food," he said patting his belly and resting on his seat. Mags cleans up and fetches operation in for them to play.

Once it's set up they sit playing at the dining room table, Finnick starts out pretty bad, but quickly gets the hang of it and starts winning. They put the game away and watch TV until he starts to tire and yawn. "I think its bed time now for you, young man. I'll come up and show you how the shower works, then I'll let you use it alone."

Mags turns the shower on for him, and adjusts its setting to find the temperature that's best for him. His broken arm makes it to tricky for him to do by himself, but Mags is thoughtful and only helps, him to do his hair and his back, letting him wash, the rest of himself one handed, only putting the shower gel on his good hand. She helps him to dry, his back. "I put new tubes of tooth paste, mouthwash in these little draws underneath the mirror. The clean towels as you saw go on the shelf section and the cabinets are empty, but can be used to store things like bubble bath, soap and extra shower gel or hand wash." Mags said. Finnicks just glad he won't have to argue over the bathroom any more.

"Right, now its storey time," she said. He's about to tell her he can read just fine, but then decides he'd like a story, he hasn't had one in since his dad was alive, his house parents were always too busy "I borrowed some books from the library, since I don't have many children's stories here, we can always get you some books you like." She hands Finnick a pile of books as she closes the curtains and turns on his bedside lamp on and the main light off.

Her book choices aren't bad, Finnick finds two he hasn't read, he closes his eyes and play ip dip doo. Mags reads well, but he still misses his dads storey time. By then end of the chapter he can barely keep his eyes open. "We'll stop there for tonight. Good night Finnick. I'll leave my door open in case you need anything. Sleep tight." She strokes his hair and goes to turn the light off. "Could you leave it on please? I don't sleep so good." He asked, half afraid she might make him sleep in the dark like Cato did. "Sure night Finnick." "Good night Mags," he said relived to know, it's ok to keep his light on.

Finnick holds the newly sown lion close to his chest and curls up, falling asleep fast. He misses Johanna and Chloe, but he's glad he finally feels safe and loved like he hasn't in such a long time. Finnick closes his eyes wanting the feeling to last forever..

He'll never know how lucky, he is to have found such a good home first time. So many children in care go through worse, or get stuck in Children's Homes, until they turn eighteen. Finnick would like to think that Mags home will one day be his forever home.

Back in Oregon Johanna cries herself to sleep knowing, that no one who's meet Finnick would ever let him go. She knows she won't ever see the boy with the bright green eyes ever again, but she won't ever forget him.

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**This is another long chapter, but I enjoyed writing this one and giving Finnick a chance to be really happy again.**


	16. Living in a Dream

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games

* * *

**Living in a Dream**

It's the first day back at school after Christmas break; Finnick spent the last few days getting to know Mags and going out with her walking Dasher round the estate so that he can get his bearings, before Mags lets him out to go play alone.

She agreed to let him out by himself this morning, even though she was a little reluctant about it, in the end to ease her mind, she let him out but insisted he took a piece of paper with her name and address on just in case he got lost, so he could show it to someone, if he needed to. Finnick already committed those important details to memory, but took the piece of paper to put Mags to ease.

He's taking Dasher for an early morning run, before his tutor turns up for the day. He walks further than intended when her hears, the sounds of other children laughing and shouting. He stops on a street corner close enough for him to observe them, but not close enough, for them to notice him unless they all stopped and turned his way.

All of them are stood around the school bus stop sign, laughing, joking and playing while waiting for it to arrive. Finnick wishes he was going with them, he considers introducing himself, but he's concerned the other kids would think he was weird. If he went up to them just to talk without actually having to go to school.

The yellow bus arrives from the top of the street, leaving him no more time to think about, whether he should have gone to say hello. He bends down to stroke Dasher as the kids load on to the bus, then turns back and walks the way he came as it leaves, back to his new home with Mags.

"Mags I'm back," Finnick called, as he enters the front door. There's an unmistakable look of relief on her face. "I'm glad you got back; it won't be long until Jessica arrives, make sure you have everything you need for school.

He put everything he needs for school in the school room the night before, but even so, he checks to make sure he hasn't accidently forgotten anything. On his way back downstairs he gets a drink and sits in the living room with Dasher on his knee waiting for his tutor.

It isn't long before the doorbell rings, Mags goes to get it before he does. He hears talking but waits in the living room. Mags enters with a tall lady, "Hello Finnick my name is Jessica, are you ready for school?" "Yes thank you, everything in the school room." He shakes hand with her and takes her to the room, Mags has set up.

She has a large bag with her full of books and other learning materials. "Ok, Finnick I thought we'd start the day, with your favourite lesson and you can call me Jess by the way. The morning goes quickly and Finnicks unsurprised by the amount of work he gets through in one day.

"Very good Finnick, now don't for get to do your homework and I'll see you tomorrow," Jessica said packing her bag up. She stops to see Mags before she leaves, "Finnick did really well today, I've set him some homework, I'm confident he'll manage." She said as Finnick walks past to go into the kitchen for his Lunch. "Excellent it's good to. Should I see you out?" Mags asked. "No thanks I'll be fine, I think Finnick would much rather you start his Lunch." Jessica said with a laugh. "Thank you Jess bye," He shouted from the kitchen.

"I have Lunch on it won't be long, so if you want to get yourself a drink, I'll just finish it off." They eat Lunch and discuss afternoon plans. "As I said I would, I've made appointments the local Middle Schools, so that we can look around together and decide which will be the best, for next year if you stay here. We'll have to set out as soon as you're ready." "OK Mags, I'll just finish my drink." He gulps down the last of his water.

She drives into the parking lot of the first Middle School, the children are still on their Lunch break and can be heard playing and shouting outside. They go in to meet the vice principal of the school, who'll be giving them a tour and telling them more about it.

Finnick zones out as the vice principal, goes into detail about the school's history. It's not his best subject and he has little interest in it, only doing what he has to, to try and get good grades. "Do you have any questions?" The vice principal asked, making Finnick jump. "Yes, do you have a science club?" "I'm sorry we don't have one here, but we have many other academic and sporting clubs," she said.

"Does the school do well at sports?" "Our sports teams are the best in the area." She replied. Finnick frowns confused. "I didn't see any sports trophies, in the cabinet." She looks like a woman who's just be caught, in the act of a lie and Finnick can't hide his smile, and he's pleased to see Mags looks just as amused as he is. "Well, this year hasn't been quite as successful as previous one, but we're hoping to do better at athletics." As they bring the tour to a close Finnick feels underwhelmed by the school.

Once they're back in the car Mags takes a deep breath and asked, "So what did you think of the Middle School?" Finnick bursts out laughing "Do you really need to ask, it's not my favourite school I hope the next one is better," He said "Me to, let's go shall we." Finnick nods and Mags drives off again.

The second school and final school is Habourside Middle School it looks just as clean and modern as the first. When the principal gives a short history, and goes on to talk about the schools great academics. Finnick's much more impressed and so is Mags. "Do you have any questions?" He can't think of many "How do the school's sports teams do?" "We're not so much known for our sports teams, as we are for our academics, but in saying that, we're about as good as the other middle school in the area, where sports is concerned, most people choose our school for the outstanding academics here. I'm afraid we get very little sports funding, which doesn't help matters."

Sports teams are only a small part of what Finnick wants in a school, he'd much rather attend one with the best academics, than a school with a half decent sports team and only good or poor academics. "I really like this school Mags. If I could do some out of school sports with a good team, then I wouldn't mind if the school teams weren't brilliant," He said "I think that would be a very good compromise.

"I like this school the best," he said as they leave and return to the car. "Yep, I definitely think this one should be the first choice and the first school will be the last." I'll fill out the paperwork later, to put your name down for a place and take it in this afternoon that way hopefully, you'll have your name down for a place in time to get in."

He spends what's left of his afternoon, doing his homework and down at the beach with Mags. He's already gained a golden glow, despite only being back in California a few days, he has the kind of skin that tans easily in good weather. The last few days have been totally surreal, like he's been living in a dream that he's terrified he might soon wake up from, he hopes he never will.

* * *

Annie's enjoyed a fun Christmas with her family, he grandparent's stayed over a couple of nights, which lead to her and Taylor sharing his room. He didn't want his grandparents to sleep in his bed, so Annie gave up hers. That meant she and Taylor had to take turns sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor.

She likes the Elementary School, her parents got her and Taylor into, she's not the most popular girl, but she has a close group of friends that really like her. Taylor on the other hand is the leader of the cool kids, he sometimes lets her and her friends join his lunch table, but they mostly stick to their separate groups of friends.

Annie is extra good for the whole week; it's her friend Emily birthday party and she's been told that she can sleep over, Annie loves a good sleep over. She waits impatiently at the front door with her dad looking for his car keys. "Come on Dad I'll be late," She yelled frustrated. "One moment," He called back. Annie's about to help him search for the car keys, he swore he hand hold of a minute ago. "Aha found them." He shouted triumphantly, jangling his keys as he rushes to Annie.

Her dad left the car parked on the drive, so he'd be ready to take her. "Bye mom, bye Ty!" She yelled as she left with her dad, not waiting for a reply form either. Emily's home is one of the more expensive homes on the estate; she loves her friend's house because it has its own pool, sometimes she visits just to play in it.

Annie's dad waits in the car and waves to her as Emily's mom lets her in. There's a group of ten girls going for pizza and five sleeping over, in Emily's room. "Hi Annie take your overnight bag to Emily's room." She takes her bag up to Emily's room and gives her , the birthday gift she fetched. "Happy Birthday Emily," Annie said handing her the gift.

They dance to music and play whilst waiting for the other kids to show up. Annie's less than happy to see Clove and only marginally happier to see Katniss. Katniss is the new girl at school she's only been at school a few days. "I didn't want to invite her, but my mom insisted because she's friends with her mom." Emily whispered in Annie's ear, no one really gets on with Katniss very well, she quite sulky and doesn't smile very often.

Annie was the new girl not all that long ago, she'd like to have made friends with Katniss. She tried to befriend her on the first day, she quickly gave up when nothing she did made her smile, laugh or talk much. She knows how hard it was being new in school, so she tried her best, but she hasn't tried again since.

Emily's mom is driving the five kids, picked for the sleep over to the Pizza Place, the others not sleeping over will meet up with them there. "OK kids everyone in the car." They all head to the six seat family car. Annie sits next to Katniss to avoid sitting next to Clove, she give Katniss a small smile which isn't returned.

She's made to sit next to Katniss when they get to the restaurant, the good news is that she's able to talk to the other girls and leave Katniss to her silence. Each of the girls get an individual pizza with various toppings. Once they all finish the waitress brings out a cake with candles dessert Annie gets her piece wrapped up, so that she can eat it later, she's too full to eat it there and then.

When the kids that aren't sleeping over have been picked up by their parents, Annie and the others are driven back to Emily's house, for the night. Emily's parents leave them unsupervised, in the large bedroom. Emily puts on the stereo loud, the latest pop music blears out, so loud Annie can barely hear, let alone communicate with the others.

They make smores in a microwave and sit down to play truth or dare, Emily finally turns the music down so they can all hear again, and the girls sit in a circle. "I'll start because it's my birthday, Clove truth or dare?" "Dare," Clove replied without hesitation. "OK I dare you to put as many marshmallows in your mouth as you can." It's a lame dare; Annie never liked truth or dare, the games mostly boring and if you have to tell the truth and you don't want to, it can be escaped easily with lies.

The game goes on until dares and questions start being repeated. All of the girls are obviously bored, "OK one last truth or dare and it's my turn," Clove said with a wicked look in her eye. "Truth or Dare Annie and you can't pick truth, because those are all you picked so far, it's time for a dare." Annie groans, normally she throws in a couple of dares, but the game was so lame, she forgot to keep track of her responses. Annie knows Clove trying to bait her for something and she'll be called a chicken if she refuses. "Fine Clove, dare." The other girl smirks, as Annie plays into her hands. "I dare you to go into the haunted house." She said jabbing her finger in Annie's direction.

There isn't a haunted house on the estate, Annie knows it's newly built and her dad didn't mention any accidents or deaths. "Fine where's this haunted house," she said wanting to get the lame dare done with. "We'll have to come with you to make sure you do it, the house isn't on the estate." Clove said.

All of the girls put their pyjamas before truth or dare, so Annie just put on her converse shoes and hooded top over them. She's more anxious knowing the house is off the estate, Annie tells herself ghosts aren't real but, It does no good because she's convinced that they are real and that some are even evil, she won't sow fear to Clove or back out now.

"I don't want to be caught out of the house so how are we going to do this, "Annie said. "Simple we sneak out and someone stays inside to help the rest of us get back in." Clove answered "I'll stay, I'm bored of this game anyway and I know where the pare keys are, if my parents lock up before you get back," Emily said. Annie detects fear in her friend. "Good, the rest of us will go to prove you do it."

Annie and Katniss follow behind Clove and Jenny, it's dark out and she hope none of the parents in their homes notice her and call her parents, she knows she's not supposed to be out at night, fear and anxiety eat away at her.

When they're off the estate, they follow they long road that leads down to the beach and turn down a private road with a sign. The gates to the home aren't far down it; Annie gets her breath back she joins the other three at the gate.

"Here we are at the murder house, it's cursed and haunted," Clove said in an overly dramatic voice. "If we're going in, we better hurry so we can get back, before anyone notices," Annie said. "You're going on your own," Clove said. Annie freezes at the gate, "I'll come with you." To Annie's surprise it's Katniss that volunteer's to go with her.

"Fine both of you go, but you have to get into the house and flash this flashlight from the window so we know you went inside." She hands it to Annie, with the flashlight in her hands she tales a deep breath and squishes between the fence railings, with Katniss not far behind.

Annie tries to look determined and not as scared as she feels Katniss walks close by her. "Let's get this over with so we can get out of here." They look round the front of the house for some way in, "ARRRGGGHHHH!" Both Annie jumps and drops the flashlight, she pick it up and purposeful turns and shines it into Cloves eyes, as payback of the scream, Clove laughs, having snuck up on the pair. "Damn Clove don't do that. There's no way in so we're just going to leave," Annie said with as much authority as she could muster.

"The ways round the back stupid; you're not getting out of it that easily." Annie sighs and follows Clove. "You know this house was the site of a terrible murder, the farther went nuts and killed his two children and his wife, the Children still haunt this place.

Annie gulps and looks to Katniss who seem unconcerned. "How long ago was that?" She asked trying to keep her voice even. "About one hundred years ago," Clove answered. Annie snorts; clove nearly had her, until she said that. "Oh come, on if you're going to lie at least try harder. My dad's a builder, he knows lots about houses, he told me about architecture and different styles, most of the houses are fairly new in this area including this one, I'm not as good at telling as my dad but I'd say it's only about twenty to thirty years old." Clove looks peeved. "I might not have the year quite right, but the murder still happened," She said in an unconvincing manner.

At the back of the mansion is a large pool Annie would love to swim in, but it's late and she wants to keep the trip to the house short, they find a bordered up window around the back, it's mostly loose and they could get in easily. "You first Cresta," Clove said. Annie climbs in closely followed by Katniss and Clove."

It's dark inside and Annie finds it hard to tell what room t she's in, it lacks any definable furniture. "Let's find our way to the front rooms, wave the light and leave." Katniss said quietly. Annie walks quickly from the room into the hallway. The home is badly grafted and there are stains on the carpet, she doesn't want to spend time thinking about, what actually might have happened. The area is popular and most houses are snapped up quickly, except it seems for this one.

They walk into what Annie suspects was a living room once, the home is definitely fairly modern, fireplace is far too new for the house to have been one hundred years old or anywhere close. Annie wonders about the real reason the hose is empty. She goes to the window and flashes the flashlight on and off a few times, to signal that they're inside.

"Right it's done we're leaving," Annie said. "If you're truly not scared you'll go upstairs to the rooms that used to belong to the children. "Fine, just that, then we're really definitely done here." Annie said getting more annoyed with Clove. "The children were murdered in their beds as they slept." Annie starting to believe that the house is nothing more than a regular empty house, that children make up stories about, she also think Clove might have been inside before, she seems to know the layout well. It would surprise her if she was also responsible for some of the graffiti.

Clove leads them into a room at the top of the stairs, it appears that at one time is had a sea theme painted on the walls, now lost under graffiti but enough is still visible for her to guess that much. There's bedframe in the middle of the room is in pieces and toy box the shape of a chest stands at the foot of it.

Annie guesses that the room once belonged to a boy, she's glad he can't see the wreck his old room has become. It hurts her just to see the state that the room has become, never mind how the person who slept and played in it might feel, if they saw it again. At one time it must have been fun to play in. Her imagination kicks in and she sees a vague image of a boy playing and having fun.

She walks to the window and try to shake he thoughts of a little boy playing happily. Katniss stands by the window looking out, Annie joins her. Even though it's dark she can still see out to the swimming pool and just make out the sea beyond, which melts into the dark sky of night. Annie can only wonder how beautiful it would look during the day, or how it would be to wake up in such a home.

"You know she made up the story of the dead family, sort of." Katniss said. "What's the real story then, do you know it?" Katniss shakes her head. "I only know a bit, I heard a family lived here, a mom, dad and their children a boy and a girl. The farther killed himself when the family went broke. One of my neighbours said, the home is still talked about, quite a bit by those around that knew the family." The guy next door to me is glad they went, posh and stuck up he called them, he said he was glad they went broke, it would serve them right." Annie can't see how anyone deserves anything like that, Katniss seems indifferent.

"The mother sold him a convertible car cheap, he laughed about it, she had no idea of its real value. He sold it on again from way more than he paid; he had no intention of keeping the car, he had nowhere safe to keep it, he just making a profit off her. I get the feeling only the other rich families ever liked the people who used to live here and those worked for them or didn't earn nearly as much couldn't stand them." Annie's wonders what she would have thought of the two children. What Katniss tells her makes more sense the Cloves made up rubbish, it at least sounds possible, even though Annie has no idea how long it takes to go broke.

"What happened to the mother and the kids?" Annie asked curious now. "I heard, the children's mom couldn't bare the shame of people knowing they were broke, so she took off with them in the middle of the night, no one seen them since but I heard they moved out of the state. To some place where no one knew them, maybe a friend or a relative who knows?" Katniss said with a shrug.

Annie can't imagine having to do that. "Let's get out of here." Annie said wanting to be away from such a sad home. Annie realizes Clove isn't with them. "She'll probably jump out at us or something," Katniss said reading Annie's mind, after noticing the same thing. "Let's get it over with then."

Predictably Clove dose jump out at them as they walk down the stairs, neither Katniss nor Annie jump, spoiling her fun. They all get out the way they entered and manage to get safely back home, seeing few people on the way. Annie's relived as she sneaks back into the home, with the other, when Emily opens the door for them.

Annie totally freaked out, I thought she was going to faint or something it was so funny," Cove said to the Jenny and Emily. Annie's far too tired to get into an argument over who's right, instead she takes off the hooded top and get out her sleeping bag.

She pulls it over to near where Katniss is and get in while one of the other girls turns off the light. As Annie gets comfortable and settles down for the night, she could swear she sees a hint of a smile on Katniss face, Annie doesn't mind if the other girl wants to be friends now, she won't hold it against her, that she wasn't so friendly to start with.

* * *

Finnick settles into Mags' home well, she has few rules none are demanding or difficult, as the week ware on he's more convinced he'd be happy enough to stay forever, if she wanted him too. Her rules are simple. 'Do your homework' 'let me know where you are going and when you'll be home' 'come home before it gets dark' and finally 'keep your room clean'. All of them he can do and previously did anyway. Her rules seem to be made up as she thinks of them, which again is no big problem for him, nit having to remember to much too soon suits him just fine.

The only rule he has a slight problem with is letting her know where he's going and when he'll be back. His mother and house parents didn't really care, as long as he came back at all and sometimes he though, they wouldn't care if he didn't. Other than forgetting to tell her where he going sometimes he's doing well with her rules and she's never to angry when he forgets. She seems to understand it'll take him a while to get used to living differently.

He likes being home schooled mostly apart from missing the company of other children, his age Mags has helped him find after school activities he can do, he goes to a centre with other home school children. He calls it the home school club, they do art, crafts, and play games and it has a pool table, a computer, TV and basketball court outside. It's run every afternoon for them to attend so that working parents like Mags don't have to hire babysitters or nannies.

Mags also signed him up to a home school sports club at the Little Hawks sports centre she attends. It's a large place, with two swimming pool, a diving pool, outdoor athletics facilities, indoor squash, martial arts and gymnastics facilities, a gym for adults, various work out and dance classes at different times of the day and the best part as far as Finnick's concerned professional coaches. They coach people of all ages and have children and adults competitive teams.

Finnick's desperate to join in the swim team for his age group. The centre and its teams are quite new and unknown so far, but they've had quite a lot of early success and he wants to be a part of it before it becomes well known.

Instead he's made to sit out and watch all the other kids have fun, he gets to join in with some of the athletics, but is only allowed to do short distances, because of his asthma and he's not allowed to do anything that could get his plaster cast wet, which rules out the things he most wants to try.

Mags goes back to work one week after Finnicks arrival, but only for short times and mostly when he's being school or is at one of his after activities. It's another whole two weeks before, his appointment to have the plaster cast removed which is very long time to a boy of nine, he knows Mags is glad to go to work some days as he becomes more irritable and frustrated.

It feels like one of the happiest days Finnicks ever know as Mags reminds him at breakfast, "Today's the day you've been waiting for, we're going to get your cast taken off and see if your arms healed enough." He didn't need her to say it, he's been asking when for days, until she got his appointment.

Finnick and Mags make the half hour ride to the hospital, and then sits with him in the waiting room, until he's eventually called in. He runs into the doctor's room, wanting to speed up the hospital visit. "OK Finnick we'll take your plaster cast off and get any X-ray to check it's healed." "Thank you I'm sure it will be, I've been resting it." Finnick said, which is mostly true, when Mags can get him to slow down a bit and stop being so active, which usually involves them watching movies. The doctor gets the cutting tool "I'm going to use an electrical saw, it won't hurt, but it may get warm and it's quite noisy."

He lies as instructed, a cloths placed over him to keep the dust off him. He watches as the cutting tools turned on, the blade whirls and makes a high pitched noise, Finnick tries not to be sacred. The doctor and Mags talk to him, while the plaster cast is removed. He watches fascinated by anything medically related, his arms cleaned and he's allowed to sits up.

Finnick flexes his fingers and rotates his wrist, enjoying being able to move it again. He has an anxious wait whilst, his arm is X-rayed and they go back to the doctor for the results. "Well Finnick, the news is good, your arm is healed up, I would like to say though that if you like sports, you should avoid contact spots for three to four weeks, because it could break again.

"Can I swim though? I want to go to swimming classes with the other kids." The doctor smiles "Sure swimming will be fine, just nothing that could cause a heavy impact to your arm." "Thank you I'll be really careful. "He and Mags leave and Finnicks greatly cheered and feels like he's walking on clouds.

As soon as he and Mags are home and she has unlocked the doors, he runs through the house out the French doors at the back, he opens the swimming pool gate and takes a running jump, into the deep end, grabbing his knees before he splashes into the water. It's only as he resurfaces that he realises he's still fully clothed with his shoes on.

"Wow Finnick I knew you wanted to go swimming, but I didn't think you wanted to swim that bad," she said laughing at him. "Come on out the pool, get changed and find your swim shorts, then you can come back out and swim again." Finnick gets out drenched and shakes himself off like a dog.

He removes shoes and starts to walk back towards the back door. "Wait Finnick you can't go in the house dripping wet wait a minute." Finnick stands dripping by the pool and pulls off his wet t-shirt and socks. Mags comes back and wraps a bath towel around him. "Dry yourself off a bit." She said letting him take over.

Finnick mostly dries himself off and goes to put on his swimming short, they were bought for him by the house parents but they barley fit, he never used to jump into the pool with them on in fear that he'd lose them.

He goes back out to the pool again, with the now damp towel around him. He puts it on a sun lounger. He's about to attempt a dive into the pool because there's only Mags to see him and no class mate that might laugh, when Mags comes over. "Are those really your swim short and do they really fit?" She said noticing how the hang low on his hips. "They fit well enough as long as I don't jump in." He said knowing it'd ruin him jumping in, Mags sighs. "I think we better get you some new swimming short or speedos."

She makes him get dressed again and they head out to the nearest store with swimwear. They pick out two pairs of plain blue and red speedos, a swimming bag with fish design, a towel just for his swim class, goggles with a case and a pool noodle for him to play with in the home pool. "That's better; I can't have you attempt to swim in those other shorts with the Little Hawks."

He tries on his new blue speedos and blue swimming googles, then dives back into the pool. Mags joins him for a swim. She teaches him how to corkscrew in the water and how to do other tricks. I used to go to synchronized swimming classes you know, as a teenager." She said as they get out of the pool.

After he's finished tea on Monday Mags drives him to the after school swimming session he was given permission to attend once his arm was healed enough, they let him have a trial for the children's competitive team. "What happens if I don't make it Mags?" He said worried. "It's ok, just do your best, you can go to the swim classes without joining the competitive team and even if you don't make it this time, you can get better at swimming in the lessons and try again if you want to."

Mags waves goodbye to him at the locker room and he goes to change, with the other kids. They go through a regular swim lesson learning techniques and have a race to finish. Finnicks encouraged by winning it, by a good few meters, he had thought he might be out of practice, but he's pleased to know it's not the case. The coach blows the whistle, at the end of the lesson. "Every one out and get changed. Finnick can I have a word please?"

"You wanted a shot at joining the competitive swim team, you did good today, if you want to shower and take a couple of minutes to rest then come back and I'll put you through the rest of the trial process, you've already show some great technique and speed." Finnicks too nervous to smile. "I'd like that," he answered.

Finnick rinses himself of, take a bite out of an energy bar and has a sip of his energy drink, hoping it'll keep him going. _You can do it Finnick_, He thought to himself. When he thinks he's rested a couple of minutes he goes back out to the pool.

"Are you ready?" The coach asked. "Yes as ready as I'll ever be," he said finding his smile. "Ok the last part of the trial involves you swimming one hundred meters, you've already managed fifty, but I need to see you do on hundred without a break. I'll be watching you the whole time and if you get into difficulty I'll help you, he walks up the pool side as Finnick swims, watching in case he can't make it. It's two laps, you can start when I blow the whistle and swim as if you're in a race." The coach blows the whistle Finnick sets of noticing the stop watch in his hand.

Finnick uses the front crawl and tries to resist the urge to use all his speed at the start, he tries to focus on keeping his technique as well as going fast, his lungs feel tight, as he comes to the last lap. He puts in the last of his saved up energy and tries to keep his breathing even and his breaths as deep as possible, he barley realises as he touches the wall at the end.

"Excellent Finnick, good job are you all right?" His swim coach asked. Mags informed the staff at the centre of his asthma. Finnick finds it hard to breathe in and out and his to be helped from the pool; he gave his inhalers to the coach, as he was asked to before the start of the lesson.

The coach kneels down and offers Finnick his inhalers, he takes three puffs and sits with his legs still in the water, he doesn't respond until he feels his medicine starting to, work and his lugs expand fuller allowing him to take in more oxygen. "I'm fine thanks," he said, still quite breathless but feeling better.

When he's recovered enough he stands up. "Will I still have a chance to join the team?" He asked concerned that his asthma might be a barrier to him swimming competitively. "It's fine as long as we know, you have asthma and you give your inhalers to us so that we can treat you if necessary it's fine. I've made note on how you did in the class with the others and how did just now, I have to consider your efforts with those of other children, who have also tried out recently. You'll be sent a letter in the post within a week hopefully, to let you know the results, here's your inhalers back."

Finnick takes his time changing into his clothes so that. He can rest and regain his breath, he just glad he avoided a full blown asthma attack. "Hi Finnick I was starting to think that you weren't coming, did you have a good time?" "Yes I think I did well and I might have made the swim team, my asthma played up a bit though and I needed me inhalers when I got out."

"I'm sure you did fine, you can have a rest in the car on the way home and an early night." "Thanks Mags what did you get up to whilst I swam?" Finnick asked feeling bad that she had to wait over an hour for him. "I was fine I put my own swimming gear in the car and enjoyed a leisurely swim whilst you had lesson, so I've only actually been waiting about ten minutes or so, don't worry about me."

Finnick really is tired when he gets home; he just about has enough energy left to get ready for bed, for the night. Mags makes his bed while he uses the bathroom then helps him to get in. She reads him a story and he leans in and gives her a hug. "Thank you Mags, you're the most awesome foster mom ever." Without realizing he just called her mom, before he rests his head against his pillows and slips into a troubled sleep.

* * *

**Hi to my new readers and thank you for the feedback, it's much appreciated.**

**Ashley won't have much more to do with the fic, she was just a side character, but I might bring her back maybe once more before the end. As for adding Haymitch, I might if I think his character will fit and I can find a suitable place for him to appear, I won't add him, he might appear, be I can't seem him being a regular character, not with the plan I have in mind.**

**I was meaning to post a chapter sooner, but it's getting closer to Christmas and I like to have my shopping done soon enough to sit back and relax, I'm trying to keep update as regular as possible.**


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